Teacher Effectiveness continues to be at the heart of efforts to address the nation's achievement gaps. In DC, the Congress is gearing up to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also known as NCLB). You can read the administration's blueprint for the law here. Also, CAP's Robin Chait has released a memo discussing ways the appropriations process could impact the teacher effectiveness landscape even if ESEA doesn't get reauthorized this year.

One of the most watched local collective bargaining processes is approaching its conclusion. DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee and Washington Teachers Union President George Parker have released a tentative contract agreement. The new contract retains teacher tenure and includes a performance pay program funded by private foundations. You can read more about the new contract here.

Tennessee and Delaware, first round winners of Race to the Top funding, promise to be important places to watch with regard to teacher effectiveness. Both have pledged to make significant changes to state teacher evaluation systems. You can read analysis about the other applicants and the process for the second round from The New Teacher Project.

The Department of Education has released the reporting requirements states will have to meet to receive the second round of State Fiscal Stabilization Fund money, part of ARRA.

This is the biggest pot of education money in the ARRA, it is paid out using existing funding formulas, and it has the least amount of reform "bite." But the reporting requirements around teacher evaluation will get us a long way towards understanding the problem, which is critical to creating a national understanding of the urgency of reform.

You can read the new reporting requirements and take a look at the state application from this press release.