National Institute for Excellence in Teaching

National Institute for Excellence in Teaching
Name	National Institute for Excellence in Teaching
Type	Nonprofit organization
Founded	2011
Founder	Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (seed grant)
Headquarters	Santa Cruz, California / Washington, D.C.
Area served	United States
Focus	Teacher effectiveness, educator evaluation, professional development

Contents

National Institute for Excellence in Teaching is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to improving teacher effectiveness through research, evaluation, and professional learning. The institute works with state departments such as Tennessee Department of Education, districts like Los Angeles Unified School District and Chicago Public Schools, and national organizations including Education Trust, American Institutes for Research, and Council of Chief State School Officers. Its activities intersect with policy debates involving Every Student Succeeds Act, No Child Left Behind Act, and litigation such as Fisher v. University of Texas addressing accountability and educator assessment.

History

The organization was established amid initiatives funded by entities like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, collaborations with Carnegie Corporation of New York, and technical assistance from RAND Corporation during the early 2010s school reform wave. Early projects referenced work by researchers affiliated with Harvard Graduate School of Education, Stanford University Graduate School of Education, and University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, and aligned with state efforts in Tennessee and Louisiana to redesign teacher evaluation systems influenced by models from Teach For America alumni and advocates associated with Edsurge coverage. Over time it partnered with foundations such as The Walton Family Foundation, engaged with policy actors at U.S. Department of Education, and responded to critiques advanced by scholars from Teachers College, Columbia University and organizations like National Education Association.

The institute’s mission emphasizes enhancing educator practice through evidence-based systems, technical assistance, and targeted supports comparable to initiatives promoted by The Broad Foundation, The Aspen Institute, and The Brookings Institution. Core programs include support for educator evaluation systems modeled on frameworks used in New York City Department of Education, Seattle Public Schools, and Boston Public Schools, development of observation protocols akin to rubrics from Danielson Framework proponents connected to Charlotte Danielson, and multi-year coaching programs similar to efforts by Relay Graduate School of Education and New Teacher Center. The programs aim to align with credentialing standards from organizations such as Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and licensure requirements in states like Florida and California.

Research efforts draw upon methodologies used by American Institutes for Research, MET Project, and scholars from University of Michigan and Vanderbilt University Peabody College to evaluate impacts on teacher practice and student outcomes. The institute has produced technical reports comparable to studies by Brookings Institution analysts, meta-analyses referencing work from National Bureau of Economic Research authors, and program evaluations employing statistical techniques used in What Works Clearinghouse reviews. Collaborations have included data-sharing with districts such as Miami-Dade County Public Schools and state longitudinal data systems like those in Indiana and Utah to examine correlations between teacher development interventions and metrics emphasized by National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Services include calibrated observation training, coaching models, and online modules similar to offerings from Learning Forward, Edutopia, and Khan Academy for educators. Delivery mechanisms leverage instructional coaching strategies informed by research at Johns Hopkins University and practice models implemented in networks such as Knowledge Is Power Program and High Tech High. The institute also provides policy advisement for state boards of education including those in Ohio and Arizona, and technical assistance during implementation phases observed in districts like Baltimore City Public Schools and Denver Public Schools.

Funding and partnerships have spanned private philanthropies including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Walton Family Foundation, and Carnegie Corporation of New York, research contractors such as IES collaborators, and alliances with organizations like Council of Chief State School Officers, National Governors Association, and The Education Trust. Programmatic partnerships have involved universities such as Vanderbilt University, Harvard University, and University of Virginia, and operational collaborations with intermediaries including New Leaders and Teach Plus. Funding arrangements have occasioned engagement with state policymakers in places like Tennessee, Louisiana, and New Jersey.

Proponents cite improved teacher observation reliability, alignment with district evaluation systems in places such as Chicago and Los Angeles, and contributions to professional learning communities similar to models advanced by National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Critics—including scholars from Teachers College, Columbia University and unions like American Federation of Teachers—argue that reliance on observational rubrics and value-added models echoes contested practices criticized in litigation such as Vergara v. California and research debates in venues like Education Week. Debates center on validity, equity, and the influence of funders such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Walton Family Foundation on policy design, with external evaluations by entities like RAND Corporation and American Institutes for Research informing ongoing revisions.

Category:Educational organizations in the United States