Lowering the Financial Burden to Recruit Undergraduates From Underrepresented Groups Into Teaching

• In Event: Alternative Certification Pathways for and From Diverse Communities and Contexts

Abstract

The U.S. is not only facing a teacher shortage, but also an acute shortage of teachers from underrepresented groups. The situation is particularly dire in Title-1 and rural schools. In this paper, we draw upon a mixed methods survey of nearly 2,400 undergraduates who were not enrolled in an education degree or major specialization program at two public universities in Arizona in order to explore factors that may motivate teachers from diverse backgrounds (in terms of race, gender, socioeconomic status, and parents’ educational attainment) to pursue various teaching pathways, like residencies and rural placements. We find that students – particularly those from underrepresented groups – are largely willing to consider graduate teaching pathways that lower the financial burden of entering the profession.

Authors

• Victoria M. Theisen-Homer, Northern Arizona University

• Nathan D. Martin, Arizona State University