Recent graduates of pre-service primary/early childhood education programmes completed a written questionnaire to ascertain their teaching locations and professional development needs. Analysis of the data raised important questions concerning the attraction and retention of graduate teachers to non-metropolitan schools, challenging some…

"Business Week" and "Fortune Magazine" suggest that Teach for America (TFA) is a beneficial postgraduation option for corps members, who teach for a finite commitment in low-socioeconomic status urban school districts. This longitudinal qualitative study examines the complex issues that surround TFA through the voices of TFA corps members,…

The Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program is part of the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) that was authorized under Title VI, Part B of the "Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965" ("ESEA"), as amended by the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" ("NCLB"). The RLIS program provides additional funds…

New Mexico's unique demographics and rich intellectual assets, including two of the three largest national engineering and science research laboratories in the country (Sandia and Los Alamos), provide an excellent national setting for educational transformation. With approximately 320,000 K-12 students, New Mexico's demographics are distinctive:…

In this paper, we offer discourse on the historical plight and contemporary experiences of African American faculty in Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) programs at predominantly White institutions (PWI) of higher education. First, we discuss the historical plight of African American KPE professionals. Second, we discuss the current…

American students today have limited interest in studying mathematics and science, and academic achievement in these two foundational disciplines is demonstrably low. This reality poses an acute challenge to our ability to keep American society intellectually vibrant and to ensure that our economy is globally competitive. This Business-Higher…

In the debate about urban school effectiveness and teacher quality, one proposition has emerged as indisputable: The success of urban schools depends heavily on the quality of the teachers who serve the schools and the administrators who support the teachers. Unfortunately, urban school district recruitment policies are often not aligned with…

This qualitative study investigated P-12 school administrators' perceptions of teacher education candidates' online digital portfolios for hiring purposes. Over the course of three semesters, focus group interviews and an online questionnaire gauged administrators' perceptions of selected candidates' portfolios and how they might be used to help…

For an alarming number of new teachers, the school gates have turned into a revolving door. Expert estimates anticipate that nearly half of this year's new hires will leave teaching within the next three years. In addition to the direct, negative impact that teacher flight has on student achievement, districts are waking up to the reality that…

The end of the school year marks a deadline for states to meet a federal requirement that most teachers be "highly qualified." However, the cutoff holds little threat these days. Even one-time proponents of the provision are conceding their disappointment and are fixing their sights on new ways to raise teacher quality. Advocates vary in…

The importance of teacher quality for determining student outcomes is now well established. At the same time, the translation of what is known about teacher quality into effective policy is far from being institutionalized. The simplest summary of research into teacher quality is that some teachers are dramatically more effective than others but…

This research evaluated South Carolina's Program of Alternative Certification for Educators (PACE). Specifically, the study analyzed this nontraditional teacher preparation pathway's outcomes: to recruit, train, and retain effective beginning teachers who fill the growing teacher vacancies in rural South Carolina. From an in-depth review of the…

Much generational research has been conducted in the last decade, prompted most likely by the drastic social and technological changes of the late 20th century, the increase in enrollments in higher education, the increase in families with two working parents, and the meteoric rise in the widespread use and acceptance of emerging technologies.…

School leaders face the difficult challenge of finding teachers who are highly qualified, committed, and prepared to ensure that all students achieve at levels mandated by NCLB. The pervasive strategy attempted by school districts to recruit teachers to high need schools is incentive programs that include either salary enhancement or bonuses.…

Attracting and retaining competent teachers is a key concern when it comes to managing the supply and demand for teachers. This article examines the motivation that prompts people to enter or leave the teaching profession with the aim of identifying a decision framework for defining teacher policies. The results are based on the teacher workforce…