The Challenge of Ensuring Teacher Quality and Supply Nancy A. Doorey Presented to: Pennsylvania Conference on Teacher Quality and Supply Issues September 26, 2002

Sanders & Rivers, 1996

Teacher Quality in PA  New policies enacted: Higher basic verbal and math skills (PRAXIS) Higher basic verbal and math skills (PRAXIS)

Ferguson & Brown, 1998

Teacher Quality in PA, cont’d Increased content knowledge for secondary teachers Increased content knowledge for secondary teachers 1 year induction 1 year induction On-going professional development On-going professional development

Teacher Supply in PA  PA has annual surplus of teachers 10,500 new graduates 10,500 new graduates 4,000 vacancies 4,000 vacancies  Shortages by geographic location and certification area

Emergency Permits in PA, (Type 01- vacancy) PA Dept. of Education, August 2002 Elementary Educ.1,994 Mentally/Phys. Handicapped961 Mathematics190 Spanish171 English100 Early childhood94 Chemistry89

Emergency Permits Increasing in PA PA DOE, August 2002

Impact on Urban Children  Philadelphia: every 7th classroom  York: every 10 th classroom  Harrisburg: every 10 th classroom has a teacher on emergency permit. PA DOE, August, 2002

Unequal Access to Effective Teachers  31% of schools in PA are high-poverty schools  These schools enroll 25% of PA students  11% of teachers in these schools are first-year teachers, and 39% have five years of experience or less PA DOE 2002 profiles

Teacher transfers increase problem of equity

Challenges Ahead in PA  High school enrollment projected to increase by 17,000 students over 5 years in PA, and by 114,000 in contiguous states  Teacher graduates down by 15.9% over past five years, and increased standards may reduce supply further  Roughly half of PA students do not meet state standards in reading and math  256 schools in PA and 1,714 in contiguous states were listed as “in School Improvement” under NCLB

+34, % +17, % -1, , % +10, % +1, % Increased HS enrollment Number schools in NCLB School Improvement % secondary students meeting state standards +52, % NCES, Oct US DOE July 1, 2002 State Web sites, gr mid-range % The Regional Context

How will schools and districts respond to increased pressure to raise achievement?

Questions for Policymakers  How can each state improve teacher quality while ensuring adequate supply?  Are states better off pursuing teacher quality competitively or cooperatively?  In which areas would regional collaboration add value?

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Teacher Project MARTP Priorities 1. Create full regional reciprocity, especially for experienced teachers 2. Raise standards for teacher licensure in coordinated fashion 3. Create Meritorious New Teacher certificate based on highest standards

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Teacher Project MARTP Priorities 4. Coordinate electronic hiring halls and promote use 5. Collaborate on data collection, labor market tracking, and evaluation of strategies

Our shared goal: A high quality teacher for every classroom, every child.