The path to becoming a school principal is characterized by a variety of trajectories that reflect the diverse experiences and backgrounds of aspiring leaders. While ideally the road to the principalship would result in a proportional and representative body of principals, research has shown this is rarely the case. To gain a better understanding…

In this collaborative autoethnography, 3 scholars of color, who were enrolled in the same doctoral program at a Hispanic Serving Institution located in South Texas between 2012 and 2017, engaged in systematic self-reflection through writing and dialogue to coconstruct meaning regarding the ways in which their interests in giving back through the…

In 2015, 81% of counties in Texas were designated as full or partial Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas. To address this problem, we worked with a community-based association of mental health practitioners, using the social theory of career selection, to explore factors that influence students to join the mental health field. Our goal was…

This compilation of short summaries of Grow Your Own (GYO) teacher resources, prepared for the Texas Education Agency (TEA) by the Texas Comprehensive Center (TXCC) at American Institutes for Research (AIR), is organized around research questions developed by TEA to inform the Texas GYO teacher strategy. This is meant to be a living document and…

This paper examines gender inequality within the context of an upper-level high school engineering course recently offered in Texas. Data was collected from six high schools that serve students from a variety of backgrounds. Among the almost two hundred students who enrolled in this challenge-based engineering course, females constituted a clear…

This paper discusses the role of teacher educators in helping resolve the national shortage of qualified teachers who are able to work with increasingly diverse students. This critical shortage requires intentional, aggressive recruitment of high quality future teachers, particularly from traditionally underrepresented groups. The involvement of…

Project FUTURE is one component of a multifaceted approach in the Northwest Texas region to target Hispanic and African-American youth, encouraging them to go through school with a desire to complete education programs leading to professional credentialing in teaching. Project FUTURE inspires students to believe that they can attend Texas Tech…

This study investigated high school students' perceptions of becoming an educator, discussing how this plays a role in the conditions of education today. Participants were high school seniors attending the South Texas Independent School District Teacher Academy, which offers students the opportunity for numerous hours of field experience in…

Career-related perceptions of minority-group high school seniors were studied at two magnet high schools for the health professions in Texas. Results with 202 students show that most of these students retained an interest in the health professions and indicate that such programs can help attract minority students to the health professions. (SLD)

One hundred teachers of the visually handicapped in Texas's public day schools were surveyed to help schools improve recruitment. Data are presented on (1) the teachers' professional training and certification, (2) job characteristics, (3) teachers' reasons for choosing their profession, and (4) their attitudes toward their positions. (MCG)

This teacher's handbook provides suggestions for organization and presentation of resource and instructional materials found in four occupational investigation guides available separately (see Note). Chapter 1 explains Texas Education Agency operations and the Occupational Investigation program and policies. Chapter 2 discusses public relations…