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Teacher Recruitment & Retention

CBMS Update

Trena L. Wilkerson

May 5, 2023

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Most of the US is dealing with a teaching shortage, but the data isn't so simple�ABC News, Arthur Jones II, February 11, 2023�https://abcnews.go.com/US/map-shows-us-states-dealing-teaching-shortage-data/story?id=96752632

  • It's a "crisis" in many districts. Others have more success filling positions.
  • More than three-quarters of U.S. states are experiencing a teacher shortage.
  • Varies by state and areas of certification
    • Some states seeing a decline in the shortage
  • Data on vacancies doesn't tell a simple story: Jess Gartner, the founder & CEO of Allovue, a company that combines financial technology with education data, suggested the nation's shortage situation is "complicated."

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Purpose

  • Charge: to gather national data around the crisis in recruiting and retaining teachers of mathematics
  • Rationale: We are at a critical juncture in maintaining a strong and well-trained mathematics teacher workforce. While we have much anecdotal evidence of the crisis, to move policy, funding, and resources to address it we need national data that provides compelling evidence of the problem.
  • Deliverable: White paper on needs assessment or state of teacher shortage at this time.
    • Actions–How can our various organizations can support?
    • Focus on mathematics teachers secondary (7-12) level.
    • There is a crisis: We need to persuade people to potentially do things differently. To impact policy. What can we do differently that will make a change–make a difference?

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Task Force Members

  • Gary Martin, Auburn University, GFO
  • Lisa Ashe, ASSM, North Carolina Dept. of Public Instruction
  • Tyler Kloefkorn, AMS
  • John Ewing, Math for America
  • Kyle Whipple, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
  • Peter Ely, Fayetteville State University, NSAS
  • Shelly Jones, BBA, Central Connecticut State University

  • Sol Freidberg, Boston College, National Academy of Science's U.S National Commission on Mathematics Instruction
  • Linda Fulmore, TODOS
  • Moises Rivera, Senior Financial Analyst, Math For America Teacher Fellow
  • Ricardo Moena, University of Cincinnati
  • Rachelle Rogers, Association of Teacher Educators, Baylor University
  • Charlie Steinhorn, Ex Officio, CBMS
  • Trena Wilkerson, Task Force Chair, Baylor University, NCTM

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Graduate Student Support�Ryen Borden-Gates Foundation

  • Identify 3 students (Trena_Wilkerson@Baylor.edu)
  • 10-12 months-about 5 hours a week
  • Qualifications: Ability to work sources, library, find articles, etc.; Follow leads; Compile summaries to analyze/synthesize data/reports

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Potential Questions

  1. What is the condition of public mathematics teacher supply in the US?
  2. Who is teaching mathematics? (certified, alternative certified, subs, etc.)
  3. What are retention rates of mathematics teachers in schools?
  4. What are promising practices of recruitment and retention?
  5. What is the state of math teacher education entries and completion to certification?

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Next Steps

  • Identifying Graduate Students
  • Continue collecting and organizing resources for review
  • Develop timeline
  • Meet with NCTQ—working on similar questions
  • Potential focus group meetings at conferences such as NCTM, AMTE or other conferences
    • Contact Trena_Wilkerson@Baylor.edu if interested in hosting or providing time/space

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