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Content Details

ED468740 - Qualifications of the Public School Teacher Workforce: Prevalence of Out-of-Field Teaching, 1987-88 to 1999-2000. Statistj.cal Analysis Report

Category
Executive Agency Publications
Collection
Education Reports from ERIC
SuDoc Class Number
ED 1.615:
Date Issued
May 1, 2002
Author
Seastrom, Marilyn McMillen; Gruber, Kerry J.; Henke, Robin; McGrath, Daniel J.; Cohen, Benjamin A
Source Institution
National Center for Education Statistics (ED), Washingtori, DC
Publication Type
Reports - Research
Subject
Degrees (Academic), High Schools, Higher Education, Majors (Students), Middle School Teachers, Middle Schools, Misassignment of Teachers, Preservice Teacher Education, Secondary School Teachers, Teacher Certification, Teacher Placement, Teacher Qualifications
Identifiers
Out of Field Teacher Assignment, Schools and Staffing Survey (NCES)
Abstract
This study examined teacher qualifications and out-of-field teaching using National Center for Education Statistics' Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) data from 1988-00. It emphasized teachers without a major, minor, or certification in the subject taught and teachers without a major and certification in the subject taught. Overall, in middle school in 1999- 00, 11-14 percent of students taking social science, history, and foreign languages, and 14-22 percent of students taking English, math, and science were in classes led by teachers without a major, minor, or certification. In high school in 1999-00, 5-10 percent of students in English, math, science, social science, arts and music, and physical education had teachers without these credentials. When examining teachers without a major or certification, out-of field teaching increased. About 6 out of 10 middle school students in English, foreign language, math, science, history, and ESL/bilingual education were taught by such teachers, while 6 out of 10 high school students in physical science, history, and ESL/bilingual education had these teachers. Middle schools had relatively fewer teachers with certification and in-field majors than high schools. Out-of-field teaching tended to decrease over time. Three appendixes present technical notes, detailed data tables, and standard error tables. (Contains 23 references.).