ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the views toward various reforms from three groups of teachers: Arizona charter school teachers, Arizona district school teachers, and Nevada district school teachers. Public school teachers are often the ideal people to teach and/or operate charters, yet peer pressure among teachers likely affect whether they would leave their traditional public school for a charter. The most frequently discussed determinants of teacher receptiveness to school reform are the teacher's length of service and the nature of the local school culture. Veteran teachers become cynical about reform because they have seen numerous reform efforts come and go and may view new reform efforts as transitory impositions. Traits such as political affiliation, union membership, experience, and school culture have a particularly significant impact on how teachers respond to more ambitious reform proposals. Although non-union teachers were more favorably disposed to the two school choice reforms than were union members, nevertheless both groups still opposed both vouchers and charter schooling.