Where teachers are central to improving schools Eric Hirsch, Center for Teaching Quality NCCTQ...

Where teachers are central to

improving schools

Eric Hirsch, Center for Teaching Quality

NCCTQ National Issue Forum, 5/24/06

Recruiting and Retaining Math and Science Teachers in Rural

Schools

• Teaching and Learning Conditions Surveys in 5 states in Spring 2006 with more than 125,000 respondents and data for more than 3,000 schools

• Working with in 5 states on convenings of National Board Certified Teachers to address issues of recruitment and retention in hard-to-staff schools

• Project in 3 rural NC districts to examine and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of recruitment and retention practices

Where teachers are central to improving schools

• Not enough production – last year only 157 new math teachers graduated from the entire 16 campus University of North Carolina system

• Result is that 36 percent of high school math, 71 percent physical science and 57 percent chemistry teach courses without a major or minor and certification in their subject (NCES 99-00 data)

• Reliance on alternative route and visiting international faculty in rurals, but recent SRI study shows few career switchers from math and science to teaching (about 5% in 7 programs vs. 42% in education or full-time students) and concerns about retention and quality

Mat

h an

d S

cien

ce S

hort

ages

Dri

ven

by

Pro

duct

ion

Rural areas particularly hard hit in ability to recruit qualified applicants

• In one of our studied districts the math faculty had to prepare lessons for a class staffed by subs all year long. Another had to bus students from one school to take science at another

• Acute challenges create limited applicant pools related to lifestyle, in field, access to expertise, etc.

• In general, see far greater similarities amongst teachers across subject and settings than differencesR

ural

are

as a

re p

arti

cula

rly

hard

hit

by

thes

e sh

orta

ges

of q

uali

fied

app

lica

nts

• While percentages who indicated a desire to leave teaching were similar, rural educators were far less likely to state an intention to move to another school (14.2 vs. 5.2 percent)

• Math and science slightly more likely to indicate that they would leave the profession (7.8 and 8.3 percent vs. 6.9 percent) or move (15.2 and 14.6 percent vs. 12.5 percent). Special education least likely to indicate that they would leave teaching

• Rural and urban were about as likely to express a willingness to teach at a hard-to-staff school. Fewer rural educators were undecided and more were steadfast in their unwillingness to go (42.7 percent rural versus 34.2 percent urban)

Dis

pari

ties

Fou

nd in

Mat

h an

d S

cien

ce

Edu

cato

rs in

Ala

bam

a S

urve

y W

ork

Wil

ling

ness

to T

each

in a

HT

SS

16%

25%

22%

22%

15%

Unwilling

Not Likely

Undecided

SomewhatLikely

Very Likely

• More than half (58.3%) would consider working in a HTSS with the right incentives

Source: Hirsch, E. Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Alabama, CTQ, 2006.

Survey of 4200 educators in 3 Alabama districts

Edu

cato

r C

once

rns

Abo

ut T

each

ing

in a

HT

SS

Concern about Teaching in a Hard-to-Staff School

Willing Undecided Unwilling

I do not believe that I will be adequately supported by parents and the community

50.5% 46.6% 54.4%

I do not believe that I will be adequately supported by school leadership

33.3% 29.1% 34.1%

I do not feel the working conditions will enable me to be successful

22.2% 30.2% 47.2%

No hard-to-staff schools are proximate to where I live

16.5% 20.2% 22.8%

I would not feel safe in a hard-to-staff school

15.8% 24.6% 39.8%

I do not feel sufficiently prepared to meet the needs of students who traditionally populate hard-to-staff schools

12.7% 19.4% 21.4%

I do not feel sufficiently prepared to be effective in a hard-to-staff school

11.9% 18.3% 20.7%


Fin

anci

al I

ncen

tive

s C

an W

ork

to R

ecru

it to

HT

SS


Financial Incentive Teachers Indicating Important

Teachers Indicating Extremely Important

State income tax credits 69.7% 54.6%Relocation reimbursement 57.0% 41.2%Housing assistance 55.1% 43.2%Signing bonus 53.4% 41.1%Retention bonus 51.8% 38.5%Loan forgiveness, scholarship, or tuition assistance for advanced degree

43.1% 29.8%

Early retirement incentives/additional years of service for each year taught

38.5% 26.2%

Bonus pay for high-demand subjects (e.g., mathematics, science, special education)

37.0% 25.5%

Bonus based on student performance of individual teachers

27.3% 17.3%

Bonus based on student performance at the school

23.9% 14.5%

Ince

ntiv

es N

eed

to M

atch

the

Des

ires

of

Edu

cato

rs to

M

ove

to H

igh

Nee

ds S

choo

ls


Amount of One-Time Signing Bonus Necessary to

Consider Working in a HTSS

All Educators

Those Willing to Teach in a HTSS

Less than $1,000 2.4% 2.0%

$1,000 to $4,999 6.3% 8.6%

$5,000 to $7,500 26.5% 36.7%

$7,501 to $10,000 26.5% 26.7%

$10,001 to $20,000 7.5% 5.9%

$20,001 to $50,000 6.6% 4.6%

More than $50,000 4.9% 1.6%

No Answer 19.3% 13.9%

But

Non

-Fin

anci

al I

ncen

tive

s W

ill W

ork

Bet

ter

to

Rec

ruit

and

Ret

ain

in H

TS

S


Non-Financial Incentive Important Extremely Important

Reduced teaching load/class size 71.1% 56.3%Additional support personnel for teachers (assistants, coaches, achievement specialists, etc.)

66.8% 49.2%

At least five hours of planning time per week

66.6% 50.2%

Additional support personnel for students (counselors, social services, health, etc.)

64.9% 45.3%

Opportunities for an active role in school decision making (hiring, budget, discipline, etc.)

60.4% 35.4%

Recruitment with a group of like-minded teachers

60.1% 35.5%

Additional, targeted professional development opportunities

52.7% 32.8%

Tea

cher

s L

ook

to W

orki

ng C

ondi

tion

s W

hen

Con

side

ring

Whe

re to

Wor

k


Please rate the importance of the following in influencing your decision about whether to work in a school

Teachers Indicating Important


A strong, supportive leader 94.1% 83.2%

Class size/teaching load 86.0% 64.1%

Salary and other compensation issues 81.2% 57.2%

A commitment to shared decision making 79.3% 52.4%

Supports for teachers (assistants, coaches, specialists, etc.)

79.2% 52.5%

Curriculum and instructional approach 79.0% 47.6%

Amount of planning time 78.6% 51.0%

Tea

cher

s L

ook

to W

orki

ng C

ondi

tion

s W

hen

Con

side

ring

Whe

re to

Wor

k


Please rate the importance of the following in influencing your decision about whether to work in a school

Teachers Indicating Important


Supports for students 73.5% 45.8%

Like-minded educators 70.4% 43.8%

Experienced educators 64.6% 37.8%

Professional development opportunities

62.4% 33.7%

Performance of the school on tests and accountability measures

54.7% 26.4%

Proximity to home 53.5% 29.7%

Type of students served 41.5% 22.2%

Percent of Teachers Who Agree

Teaching and Learning Survey Question

Stayers Movers Leavers

In my school, teachers are centrally involved in decision-making about important education issues.

74.7% 37.3% 53.8%

The faculty has an effective process for making group decisions and solving problems.

73.8% 39.8% 54.5%

There is an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect in my school. 73.3% 32.1% 50.3%

I feel comfortable raising issues and concerns that are important to me. 73.9% 35.1% 49.0%

My school leadership consistently supports me when I need it. 82.5% 43.9% 64.1%

Overall, the leadership in my school is effective. 82.3% 43.2% 64.5%W

orki

ng C

ondi

tion

s ar

e C

riti

cal t

o K

eepi

ng

Tea

cher

s in

Sch

ools

Source: Hirsch, E. Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Alabama, CTQ 2006

Which of the following is MOST important to you in considering whether to stay in your current position

Percent in Agreement

Stayers Movers Leavers

Quality of facilities and resources 5.5% 4.1% 2.1%

Supportive school leadership 41.2% 42.0% 16.9%

Sufficient time to plan and teach 15.7% 18.0% 27.9%

Involvement in decisions about important education issues

3.2% 6.2% 7.2%

Professional development opportunities 1.4% 0.6% 1.0%

Collegial atmosphere 4.0% 5.1% 2.4%

Salary and benefits 21.4% 17.8% 36.6%

Community environment where I live 4.5% 4.1% 1.7%

Cost of living of the community in which my school is located 0.8% 0.9% 1.0%

Lea

ders

hip

is th

e M

ost I

mpo

rtan

t Fac

tor

in R

eten

tion

D

ecis

ions

for

Tea

cher

s

Source: Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Alabama, CTQ 2006

1. Improve the pipeline of math and science teachers through program approval and targeted incentives

• Louisiana not only has quality, but quantity indicators for program approval with bonuses based on hard-to-staff subjects and schools. Faculty can lose professional development funds and eventually program approval based on yield

• Provide additional funding, support and incentives to programs that feed rural districts to develop partnerships, specialized programs and prepare additional math and science educators

• Ensure clinical placements are in diverse settings so the stigma of working in rural and HTSS

• Pipeline strategies (scholarship, loan forgiveness should target HTS schools and subjects)

Sta

te P

olic

ies

to R

ecru

it a

nd R

etai

n M

ath

and

Sci

ence

Tea

cher

s to

Rur

al A

reas

Sta

te P

olic

ies

to S

uppo

rt I

mpr

oved

R

ecru

itm

ent a

nd R

eten

tion

Eff

orts

2. Grow your own is particularly critical for rural areas as it is easier to attract and retain a teacher already in the community

• Teacher cadet program: minimal investment, structure curriculum, college credit (SC)

• Fellows program or other structured partnerships with universities and as important community colleges (NC)

• Target paraprofessionals who are familiar with the community and the rigors of HTSS (CA) and consider additional incentives for math/science and other HTS subjects

Sta

te P

olic

ies

to S

uppo

rt I

mpr

oved

R

ecru

itm

ent a

nd R

eten

tion

Eff

orts

3. Invest in technology to address critical content and support issues

• Virtual schools and distance learning opportunities for math and science content courses to ensure high quality teaching

• Virtual professional development in providing content-driven professional development and content-focused customized mentoring that meets the unique needs of rural math/science educators

Sta

te P

olic

ies

to S

uppo

rt I

mpr

oved

R

ecru

itm

ent a

nd R

eten

tion

Eff

orts

4. Ensure rural districts can customize financial incentives to meet the needs of their unique challenges (and do not think they are the only solution)

• Provide an array of acceptable options that include a variety of potential incentives (signing bonus, retention bonus, housing, moving, M.A., tuition for children)

• Consider block grants, RFP, venture capital fund and other means of getting resources to support districts that allow for research-based innovation

• Financial incentives should be enough to have some likelihood of success, driven by local data and markets

Sta

te P

olic

ies

to S

uppo

rt I

mpr

oved

R

ecru

itm

ent a

nd R

eten

tion

Eff

orts

5. Ensure non-financial incentives are part of the solution as they matter most to teachers

• Invest in high quality leadership (standards, preparation, evaluation, professional development)

• Empower educators through distributed leadership and collaborative time

• Content driven PD• Customized mentoring and support that

acknowledges the different needs and preparation levels of math/science teachers in rural areas

976 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Ste. 250

Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514(919) 951-0200

[email protected]

www.teachingquality.org www.teacherworkingconditions.org

www.teacherleaders.org

Where teachers are central to

improving schools

Where teachers are central to improving schools Eric Hirsch, Center for Teaching Quality NCCTQ...

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