Understanding High Need: Exploring School and District Employment and Retention Patterns of Noyce Scholars in Texas

• In Event: Noyce Research Results: Addressing Preparation, Effectiveness, and Retention of STEM Teachers in High-Need School Districts

Abstract

Objectives: Texas is among the many states experiencing a STEM teacher shortage. With a public-school population of 60% low-income students, Texas has been working to reverse this two-decade shortage by implementing more than 30 Noyce programs (Center for Research, Evaluation, & Advancement of Teacher Education, 2015; National Science Foundation, 2017). This study descriptively explores the first-year employment and retention patterns of Noyce program graduates from four Texas institutions relative to their non-Noyce peers to understand with greater nuance in what contexts Noyce graduates are contributing.

Theoretical Framework/Rationale: Well established in the field of education research is the influence of teacher quality on both short- and long-term student outcomes (Chetty et al., 2014; Darling-Hammond, 2000; Hanushek, 2011; Rivkin et al., 2005; Rockoff, 2004; Stronge et al., 2011). Despite the important role that educators play, the country is experiencing a nationwide teacher shortage as school and districts face difficulties filling staffing needs in the classroom (Sutcher et al., 2016). Mathematics and science teachers are in particular demand (Dee & Goldhaber, 2017); data from the U.S. Department of Education (2015) demonstrate the need to increase the number of educators in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Accordingly, this study relies on a conceptual framework of teacher pathways to the profession (Boyd et al., 2006).

Methods: The research questions are addressed through both qualitative and quantitative methods, including policy analysis, descriptive analysis of interviews, geographic information system (GIS) mapping, event history analysis, and propensity score analysis to create matched samples of Noyce and non-Noyce prepared teachers that are similar on baseline characteristics to enable comparison of measures of teacher effectiveness.

Data: Data sources include focus group interviews, archival information, field notes, and data available through UH ERC offers longitudinal, individual-level da ta, which enabled the researchers to investigate the impact of prep ration on educators throughout their careers.

Results: Findings indicate differential employment and retention patterns depending on definitions used and uniquely contributes to an understanding of the placement and retention of STEM teachers, particularly in high need school districts. In particular, first year Noyce teachers in this study work in schools that meet expectations but fall under more inclusive definitions of high need relative to their non-Noyce peers.

Scholarly Significance: This unique research partnership that joins several Noyce programs in a single state provides a model for evaluating provider practices from retention through induction to identify program components promoting effective recruitment, training, and retention of STEM teachers in high need school districts. The results of this multi-institutional study have the potential to inform teacher education programs across the country, particularly related to recruiting, preparing, and retaining teachers of STEM disciplines who teach students in high need settings, as well as policies that enhance or inhibit this.

Authors

• Toni Templeton, University of Houston

• Chaunte White, American Institutes for Research

• Catherine L. Horn, University of Houston