Efforts to professionalize teaching aim to improve education quality and student outcomes, but policies meant to ensure "high-quality" teaching have often had the opposite effect. These reforms have increased teacher workload, standardized curriculum and assessment, and diminished teachers' control over their profession, leading to public distrust. Teachers lack authority over key professional elements, such as specialized knowledge, training standards, and decision-making power. External influences from policymakers and corporations have further constrained their professional status. Recent changes in standards, curriculum restrictions, and digitalization continue to shape teaching, raising questions about teachers’ evolving roles. Instead of debating whether teachers are professionals, it is more useful to ask what kind of professionals they should be. Policies that empower teachers and encourage collaborative decision-making can help restore their status and strengthen the profession.

Suggested Citation: Reagan, E.M. & Goodwin, A.L. (2025). Let's stop asking whether teachers are professionals. Let’s ask what kinds of professionals we want teachers to be. Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center. Retrieved [date] from http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/teachers