This study seeks to empirically ground the debate over mathematics and science teacher shortages and evaluate the extent to which there is, or is not, sufficient supply of teachers in these fields. The authors' analyses of nationally representative data from multiple sources show that math and science are the fields most difficult to staff, but the factors behind these problems are complex. There are multiple sources of new teachers; those with education degrees are a minor source compared to those with degrees in math and science and the reserve pool. Over the past two decades, graduation requirements, student course taking, and teacher retirements have all increased for math and science, yet the new supply has more than kept pace. However, when preretirement teacher attrition is factored in, there is a much tighter balance between supply and demand. Unlike fields such as English, for math and science, there is not a large cushion of new supply relative to losses-resulting in staffing problems in schools with higher turnover.

The Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) unites seven of the nation's leading research institutions to improve elementary and secondary education through research on policy, finance, school reform, and school governance. Members of CPRE are the University of Pennsylvania, Teachers College Columbia University, Harvard University, Stanford University, the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Northwestern University.CPRE is currently examining how alternative approaches to education reform--such as new accountability policies, teacher compensation, whole-school reform approaches, and efforts to contract out instructional services--address issues of coherence, incentives and capacity. The results of this research are shared with policymakers, educators, practitioners, and other interested individuals and organizations in order to promote improvements in policy design and implementation. CPRE Research Report Series AbstractContemporary educational thought holds that one of the pivotal causes of inadequate school performance is the inability of schools to adequately staff classrooms with qualified teachers, especially in fields such as mathematics and science. Shortages of teachers, it is commonly believed, are at the root of these staffing problems, and these shortfalls are, in turn, primarily due to recent increases in teacher retirements and student enrollments.The objective of this study is to empirically reexamine the issue of mathematics and science teacher shortages and to evaluate the extent to which there is a supply-side deficit-a shortage-of new teachers in these particular fields. The data utilized in this investigation are from three sources-the Schools and Staffing Survey and its supplement, the Teacher Follow-Up Survey; the Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data System; and the Baccalaureate and Beyond Survey, all conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics.The data show that there are indeed widespread school staffing problems-that is, many schools experience difficulties filling their classrooms with qualified candidates, especially in the fields of math and science. But, contrary to conventional wisdom, the data also show that these school staffing problems are not solely, or even primarily, due to shortages in the sense that too few new mathematics and science teachers are produced each year. The data document that the new supply of mathematics and science teachers is more than sufficient to cover the losses of teachers due to retirement. For instance, in 2000 there were over two and half teachers in the new supply of math teachers for every one math teacher who retired that year. However, when preretirement teacher turnover is factored in, there is a much tighter balance between the new supply of mathematics and science teachers and losses. The data also shows that turnover varies greatly between different types of schools and these differences are tied to the characteristics and conditions of those schools. While it is true that teacher r...

Contemporary educational thought holds that one of the pivotal causes of inadequate school performance is the inability of schools to adequately staff classrooms with qualified teachers, especially in fields such as mathematics and science. Shortages of teachers, it is commonly believed, are at the root of these staffing problems, and these shortfalls are, in turn, primarily due to recent increases in teacher retirements and student enrollments.The objective of this study is to empirically reexamine the issue of mathematics and science teacher shortages and to evaluate the extent to which there is a supply-side deficit-a shortage-of new teachers in these particular fields. The data utilized in this investigation are from three sources-the Schools and Staffing Survey and its supplement, the Teacher Follow-Up Survey; the Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data System; and the Baccalaureate and Beyond Survey, all conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics.The data show that there are indeed widespread school staffing problems-that is, many schools experience difficulties filling their classrooms with qualified candidates, especially in the fields of math and science. But, contrary to conventional wisdom, the data also show that these school staffing problems are not solely, or even primarily, due to shortages in the sense that too few new mathematics and science teachers are produced each year. The data document that the new supply of mathematics and science teachers is more than sufficient to cover the losses of teachers due to retirement. For instance, in 2000 there were over two and half teachers in the new supply of math teachers for every one math teacher who retired that year. However, when preretirement teacher turnover is factored in, there is a much tighter balance between the new supply of mathematics and science teachers and losses. The data also shows that turnover varies greatly between different types of schools and these differences are tied to the characteristics and conditions of those schools. While it is true that teacher retirements are increasing, the overall volume of turnover accounted for by retirement is relatively minor when compared with that resulting from other causes, such as teacher job dissatisfaction and teachers seeking to pursue better jobs or other careers. Disciplines Educational Administration and Supervision | Science and Mathematics Education | Teacher Education and Professional Development CommentsView on the CPRE website. AbstractContemporary educational thought holds that one of the pivotal causes of inadequate school performance is the inability of schools to adequately staff classrooms with qualified teachers, especially in fields such as mathematics and science. Shortages of teachers, it is commonly believed, are at the root of these staffing problems, and these shortfalls are, in turn, primarily due to recent increases in teacher retirements and student enrollments.The objective of this study is to empirically reexamine the issue of mathemati...

Education is a cumulative process. Yet while students' knowledge and skills are built up over time, educational researchers are rarely afforded the opportunity to examine the effects of interventions over multiple years. This study of the America's Choice school reform design is just such an opportunity. Using 11 years of student performance data from Rochester, NY --which includes several years of data before America's Choice began working in the district --we examine the effects of America's Choice on student learning gains from 1998 to 2003. Employing a sophisticated statistical method called Bayesian hierarchical growth curve analysis with crossed random effects, we compare the longitudinal gains in test performance of students attending America's Choice schools to those of students attending other Rochester schools. Our analytical method allows us to examine student test performance over time, account for the nested structure of students within schools, and account for the very real problem of within-district student mobility.Through these analyses, we sought to answer three central questions. First, is there evidence that America's Choice increases students' rates of learning and, if so, how big is the increase? Second, does America's Choice improve the performance of particularly lowachieving students? And third, does America's Choice make education more equitable for minority students?Overall, we found that students in America's Choice schools gained significantly more than did students in other Rochester schools in both reading and mathematics test performance. These differences are moderate in the early-elementary grades (grades 1-3) and stronger in later grades (grades 4-8). In the early-elementary grades, students in America's Choice schools averaged three weeks of additional learning per year in comparison to students in other district schools. In grades 4-8, students in America's Choice schools averaged slightly more than two months of additional learning per year in comparison to students in other district schools.

Education is a cumulative process. Yet while students' knowledge and skills are built up over time, educational researchers are rarely afforded the opportunity to examine the effects of interventions over multiple years. This study of the America's Choice school reform design is just such an opportunity. Using 11 years of student performance data from Rochester, NY --which includes several years of data before America's Choice began working in the district --we examine the effects of America's Choice on student learning gains from 1998 to 2003. Employing a sophisticated statistical method called Bayesian hierarchical growth curve analysis with crossed random effects, we compare the longitudinal gains in test performance of students attending America's Choice schools to those of students attending other Rochester schools. Our analytical method allows us to examine student test performance over time, account for the nested structure of students within schools, and account for the very real problem of within-district student mobility.Through these analyses, we sought to answer three central questions. First, is there evidence that America's Choice increases students' rates of learning and, if so, how big is the increase? Second, does America's Choice improve the performance of particularly lowachieving students? And third, does America's Choice make education more equitable for minority students?Overall, we found that students in America's Choice schools gained significantly more than did students in other Rochester schools in both reading and mathematics test performance. These differences are moderate in the early-elementary grades (grades 1-3) and stronger in later grades (grades 4-8). In the early-elementary grades, students in America's Choice schools averaged three weeks of additional learning per year in comparison to students in other district schools. In grades 4-8, students in America's Choice schools averaged slightly more than two months of additional learning per year in comparison to students in other district schools.