Public education has been a major growth industry in the 1990s, expanding its employment by nearly 24 percent from 1988 to 1998. The 1.8 million jobs added in state and local government education functions placed this sector third among America's growth industries in the sheer magnitude of its employment rise. This report examines the record of…

This article documents the teacher shortage, explains its effects on urban schools, presents contributing factors, and offers potential interventions. Argues that urban schools, where many students are perennial underachievers, will be most adversely affected by the teacher shortage. (Contains 39 footnotes.) (AUTHOR)

Based on interviews with teacher's union representatives, teachers, school board officials, and school administrators, this article considers what tenure actually is, how it developed, how much job security it provides, key points in the tenure debate, the role of unions and contract tenure, and the need for tenure laws today. (Author/SJL)

This article examines the role of athletic coaches and notes their unique backgrounds and needs that set them apart from other college faculty. Alternative definitions of the coach's role include offering tenure to coaches, treating the coach like an ordinary contractual employee, and fashioning special nonsalary benefits. (Author/DB)

This article briefly describes the decline of the number of minority teachers at a time when the numbers of minority students are increasing and are projected to increase through the end of this century. The article reports a variety of studies and statistics which reflect this trend. (JL)

Most school districts expect and accept failure from substitute teachers. Current policies result in little or no student learning in classes taught by minimally qualified substitute teachers who receive low pay and scant recognition. Problems substitute teachers face and steps that might improve their situation are discussed. (PP)

This report attempts to summarize recent attitudes toward and developments in tenure-related issues in American higher education. Modern academic tenure rests on the principles of academic freedom and economic security. Currently, public perceptions of the notion of tenure are often quite negative, with some critics charging that educators have…

This paper discusses the impact on teacher qualifications and earnings of public financing of private education. As societies become more frustrated with government-run schools, policies to provide public funds for private schools--for example, tuition subsidies, vouchers, or tuition tax credits--become more attractive. However, it is important to…

The views of teachers and principals in Massachusetts on early retirement and other issues associated with reduction-in-force policies were sampled and analyzed. Alternatives to layoffs, methods of evaluating teacher performance fairly, and use of seniority as a criterion for retention are discussed. (PP)

Job opportunities still exist for teachers who are willing to go where jobs are. Areas of the country with teacher shortages, subjects in demand, and future trends are explored. Demographics, salaries, and the economic health of various areas are discussed as are opportunities for teaching abroad. (PP)

This paper discusses the legal precedents and implications for non-renewal of elementary, secondary, and university and college probationary faculty. Selected federal and state cases are reviewed to show the evolution of case law from the early 1950s to the present day. Analysis of the court cases reveals that for the last 40 years the courts have…

Rural schools are having difficulty recruiting and retaining teachers. The national teacher turnover rate is 6% annually, but in rural areas reaches 30% to 50%. Rural teachers often leave due to social, cultural, geographic, and professional isolation. They are often unprepared for rural realities that demand knowledge in multiple subjects and…

The attraction and recruitment of qualified teachers as a responsibility of school leaders is discussed in this paper. Included are an examination of factors contributing to teacher shortage, identification of school-based reform targets that address the work and working conditions of teachers, and a discussion of the implications of such…

Reviews results of 36 faculty status surveys published since the establishment of standards by the Association of College and Research Libraries in 1971. These findings present a documented picture of the realities of academic librarianship in relation to stated goals and provide information useful for the reevaluation of faculty status.…

Reviews research on the use of part-time faculty in community colleges, focusing on employment trends; impacts and concerns; economic advantages; the effects of funding uncertainty; part-time faculty members' expertise, instructional quality, socialization, and selection; standardization of process and teaching skills; and implications for…