• Work with ethnic minority communities and through teacher scholarships in recruitment.

• Review effectiveness of teaching colleges and make sure they have capacity to meet future demand.

• Seek money for a full-time beginning teacher mentor program, then study its impact on teacher retention and share best practices.

• Help teachers seeking rigorous National Board Certification by covering their fees and offering salary bonuses.

• Offer principals additional training and mentoring and evaluate their performance annually.

The board also voted to examine rules governing the release of substandard teachers so they don't remain in the system too long.

Now, a group will meet to create a three-phase implementation plan. Putting it all in action could take up to five years, Timothy said.

A cost analysis also will get under way.

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