These proceedings contain addresses and summaries of presentations made in concurrent sessions at the annual meeting. The addresses are: Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE)--Then and Now: What Our Past Has To Tell Us about Our Future" (Nelcamp and others); "A Conversation with Alex Haley" (Haley); "Luncheon Address of…

Traditionally, the teaching role has been one of nurturing and developing students' potential. However, teachers' work today comprises a complex mix of various factors that include teaching; learning new information and skills; keeping abreast of technological innovations and dealing with students, parents and the community. These are demanding…

This analysis of data from the 1999-00 Schools and Staffing Survey examined the 50 states and District of Columbia on their progress toward improving teacher quality. States were evaluated on the extent to which they assessed teachers, whether they had less out-of-field teaching, and how they prepared and developed teachers. Results indicated that…

This study examined the perceptions of Florida principals from failing high poverty/minority schools regarding accountability measures placed upon their schools by state legislation. Data collection included field notes, observations, and interviews regarding principals' impressions of the state's accountability system, how their role was…

This study examined whether 540 teacher candidates who failed to or who successfully made the transition into teaching 7 years after commencement of teacher preparation differed in anxiety about teaching, attitude toward a teaching career, and self-perceived effectiveness as future teachers. At the beginning of teacher preparation in 1985,…

A study examined the employment status of elementary, early childhood, and special education graduates from Chadron State College (Nebraska) for the academic years of 1996/97-2000/01 at 2 and 5 years after graduation. Surveys of 282 education graduates, most of whom were teaching in small towns and rural communities of their midwestern states of…

Reports research to assess the performance of teachers who graduated from 11 universities, 7 with 5-year programs and 4 considering moving into 5-year programs. Provides results of data collected around four outcome measures: teacher entry into the profession, teacher retention, classroom performance, and leadership behavior. (SM)

Studies the experiences of a talented cohort of the African-American teaching pool (n=41), focusing on why they chose to enter teaching and their perspectives on factors influencing retention of others like themselves in teaching. Being encouraged to teach appears to be a necessary element in the recruitment of African-American teachers. (SLD)

This study attempted to determine the personal and workplace variables which predict a special educator's decision to stay, transfer, or leave the classroom. A stratified random sample of 1,576 special education teachers in Florida was surveyed, resulting in 1,152 usable responses. Two models were estimated with forward stepwise logistic…

In an effort to understand how higher education institutions can retain women faculty members, this study examined the attitudes of eight tenured women faculty who chose to leave one research university. Some went to other tenured academic positions, others to research agencies. Interviews included open-ended questions as well as focused probes…

This paper presents the methods and results of a probabilistic teacher labor supply model. It uses both qualitative research findings and econometric methods to estimate the number of teachers with specified characteristics under various policy conditions, especially teacher salaries and supervision received. A review of selected relevant…

Reports survey of active and former teachers and high school seniors to determine sources of satisfaction/dissatisfaction in teaching, analyze teacher turnover rates and causes, and explore decision factors of prospective teacher. Finds teacher sources of satisfaction to be service to others, dissatisfactions to be low economic rewards and…

Elementary teachers' attitudes towards science and their confidence to teach it have for some time been identified as important in determining both the quality and quantity of science taught to children. Attitudes and confidence are influenced greatly by the teachers' own experiences as learners of science and as teachers of science. This paper…

Data indicate that teaching attracts and retains a disproportionately high percentage of those with low measured academic ability and fails to attract and retain those with high ability. If policy makers wish to change this situation, they must be prepared to pay the price. (Author)

The VITAE project is a four-year (2001-2005) research study, commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills, conducted with 300 teachers in 100 schools in seven local education authorities in England. The project aimed to identify factors that may affect their work and lives over time and how these factors may, in turn, impact on their…