In June 2013, NCTQ published a study on Dayton Public Schools as part of our series of deep dives into school district teacher quality policies. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, our partner in the study, and Learn to Earn Dayton recently highlighted significant changes the district and union have made, many of which mirror our recommendations:

·  Principals are no longer forced to accept transferred teachers to fill vacancies and can now select the most qualified candidate.

·  Reductions in force, which in the past were based on seniority, are now based on teacher evaluations and district needs.

·  Two committees were established, one focused on improving tenure practices and the other on compensation policies.

A key reason for Dayton's recent successes has to do with the healthy relationship between the district and the teachers union, a relationship that, as we wrote last year, ”allows both the district and the union to avoid messy infighting and to focus on collaboration that benefits both students and teachers.”

We are happy to see their partnership bear fruit and look forward to reading more about Dayton’s successes in the near future.