Teachers may be the most important element of an effective school, but does that mean that K-12 improvement must wait on the ability of schools or systems to recruit, nurture, and retain outstanding teachers? Such a strategy implies that widespread excellence hinges on the ability of publicly funded school systems to attract more than 3.3 million…

This report presents findings about teacher quality from two longitudinal studies, the National Longitudinal Study of "No Child Left Behind" (NLS-"NCLB"), and the Study of State Implementation of Accountability and Teacher Quality Under "No Child Left Behind" (SSI-"NCLB"). The research teams for these two…

This article describes a successful project to recruit math and science majors into a Master's level secondary school teacher education program. A collaborative effort between the university, public school systems, and industry with paid internships and economic and career incentives were an important element in this program. (DF)

This paper provides a lens through which to view the significant teacher shortage dilemma that affects schools and communities in United States and in the Pacific region. Part 1, "A Critical Perspective," examines challenges facing teacher education, recruitment, and quality in the United States, noting alternative pathways to teacher…

The debate over how to prepare a new generation of teachers has reached a fever pitch in education and policy communities. This policy brief takes the viewpoint that quality alternative certification programs (ACPs) offer ways to develop a broader pool of prospective teachers while helping states address concerns about teacher development,…

A program in rural Alberta (Canada) used retired teachers to mentor beginning teachers. Surveys and interviews with 24 proteges and 21 mentors indicated that the recruitment of experienced mentors, the provision of money, the establishment of a sense of community, and the provision of time for reflection all contributed to the program's success.…

This research review examines various barriers that affect the retention and attrition of special education teachers. The purpose of this examination is to look at various problems associated with maintaining and attracting new teachers to the field of education. Retention and attrition will be vital components in addressing teacher shortages in…

Despite research into the factors that motivate prospective teachers and those already in post, relatively little attention has been paid to the perspectives of trainee teachers. This article is based on a survey of 550 undergraduate and postgraduate trainee teachers, using a Likert-type questionnaire, to discover whether particular patterns of…

Studies continue to surface a disheartening fact: while research shows that teachers are key to closing achievement gaps, poor and minority students as well as those in low-performing schools are far less likely to have access to the most experienced and qualified teachers. For instance, although National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) are…

In this presentation we will examine the situation of English as a Second Language (ESL) program managers, many of whom are charged with the responsibility of marketing their programs and recruiting students internationally, often with little or no training in how to do so (Eaton, 2005). Not only are they set forth ill-prepared, the repercussions…

A study explored the recruitment process, as perceived by preservice teachers who were beginning their teacher training year, and ongoing patterns of recruitment and socialization as they occured during the training year. Fifteen students, interviewed and observed during their student teaching, served as primary subjects throughout their…

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) teacher quality provisions recognize both the importance of teacher quality for improving student achievement and the unequal distribution of teachers across districts and schools. But the question of how to achieve the goal of a high quality teacher in every classroom is complicated because of the challenges of…

The Transition to Teaching (TTT) program is described in Part C, Innovations for Teacher Quality, Subpart 1, Chapter B of the "No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act." Its purposes are "(a) to recruit and retain highly qualified mid-career professionals (including highly qualified paraprofessionals) and recent graduates of an institution…

This response to a review essay on the limited presence of African American teachers suggests that the original work leaves out some issues surrounding teacher recruitment and retention and leaves some empirical work and interpretations unexamined. The examination of such "crises" in education is a promising avenue for research. (SLD)

This article describes a career ladder program for paraeducators in which collaborative efforts of a university, community college, and consortium of school districts addresses the need for preparing teachers of English-language learners. Thirty paraeducators of minority background were supported through the California Paraprofessional Teacher…