Opening the Window to Change for Tenure: The Social, Economic, and Political Factors That Led to the Teacher Tenure Reform Movement, 2009–2013

• In Event: 61.086 - Roundtable Session 21
  In Roundtable Session: 61.086-20 - Power, Discourse, and Professionalism: Teacher's Work in Challenging Times

Abstract

Between January 2009 and the end of June, 2013, 28 states made substantive changes to their teacher tenure laws and an additional four states were considering proposed legislation. This paper examines how teacher tenure transitioned from the governmental agenda, where it had been in some form since the early 1970s, to the decision agenda in the late 2000s using John W. Kingdon's Multiple Stream Framework. This paper will identify the political, economic, and sociological factors that contributed to the teacher tenure reform movement from 2009 through June 2013. Further, it will discuss the educational and policy implications of the reform movement given the inciting events.

Author

• Ann Elizabeth Blankenship, University of Southern Mississippi