Secondary Teacher Retention & Induction in Diverse Educational Settings (STRIDES) RAC

Problem Addressed

General Approach

Who We Are

Opportunities for Engagement

Resources

RAC Publications

Problem Addressed

Half of all teachers leave the profession within the first five years (Foster, 2010). This rate is even higher in high poverty schools and in subjects such as mathematics and science (Fantilli & McDougall, 2009; Goldring et al., 2014). Furthermore, with half of all current teachers in the U.S. retiring in the next five years (Foster, 2010), enrollment in teacher preparation programs declining, and teacher turnover costing America $7.3 billion annually (National Math + Science Initiative, 2013), the mathematics teaching crisis is of major proportion. This crisis leads to many underprepared mathematics teachers, and a profound effect on how well-prepared our students are to be successful in high school, college and beyond. Experts agree that addressing the mathematics teaching crisis meaningfully will require building a more cohesive system of teacher preparation, support, and development (Mehta, Theisen-Homer, Braslow, & Lopatin 2015). The Mathematics Education Education Partnership (MTEP) Secondary Retention and Induction in Diverse Educational Settings (STRIDES) Research Action Cluster (RAC) addresses Guiding Principle 8 (Student Recruitment, Selection, and Support) which states: The teacher preparation program actively recruits high‐quality and diverse teacher candidates into the program, and monitors and supports their success in completing the program.

General Approach

• Investigate methods to maintain an adequate supply of secondary mathematics teachers
• Use a Networked Improvement Community Model (NIC) and Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) Cycle methodologies to gather data that directly inform interventions that assist in retaining secondary mathematics teachers
• Aim: By July 1, 2022, ensure that at least 85% of those completing MTE-P programs and employed in partner school districts begin a third year of employment as a mathematics educator

Who We Are

• Appalachian State University: Travis Weiland
• Auburn University: Gary Martin
• California State University-Monterey Bay: Joanne Lieberman
• California State University, Office of the Chancellor: Fred Uy
• East Central Texas: Laura Wilding
• Fayette County Public Schools: Craig Schroeder
• Georgia State University: Pier Junor Clarke
• Iowa Department of Education: April Pforts
• Kennesaw State University: Brian Lawler
• Lincoln Public Schools: Josh Males
• Middle Tennessee State University: Seth Jones
• Richland County School District: DeVonne Smalls
• San Diego State University: Lisa Lamb
• San Francisco State University: Judy Kysh
• South Dakota Department of Education: Nicol Reiner
• South Dakota State University: Sharon Vestal
• Texas A&M University: Jennifer Whitfield
• University of Cincinnati: Bob Ronau
• University of Kentucky: Lisa Amick (co-leader)
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Lorraine Males
• University of North Dakota: Cathy Williams, Theresa Skinner
• University of Tennessee: James Martinez (co-leader)

Opportunities for Engagement

In the upcoming year we are implementing research-based interventions to target two initiatives: (a) strengthen and support existing teacher support systems, such as mentoring programs and PLCs, and (b) working with administrators to better equip them with knowledge and tools to better support early career secondary mathematics teachers. A second goal of the upcoming year is to develop and submit an NSF grant in hopes to sustain and support our efforts on teacher support and retention. Any interest in supporting these initiatives is welcomed!

Resources

• Foster, E. (2010). How boomers can contribute to student success: Emerging encore career opportunities in K-12 education. Washington, DC: National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future.

• Fantilli, R.D., & McDougall, D. E. (2009) A Study of Novice Teacher Challenges and Supports in the First Years. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 814-825.

• Goldring, R., Taie, S., and Riddles, M. (2014). Teacher Attrition and Mobility: Results From the 2012–13 Teacher Follow-up Survey (NCES 2014-077). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 15, 2016 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.

• Mehta, J., Theisen-Homer, V., Braslow, D., & Lopatin, A. (2015). From quicksand to solid ground: Building a foundation to support quality teaching. Boston, MA: Harvard Graduate School of Education Transforming Teaching Project. Retrieved from www.totransformteaching.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/10/From-Quicksand-to-Solid-Ground-Building-a-Foundation-to-Support-Quality-Teaching.pdf

RAC Publications

• Chapter 16, The Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership: The power of a networked improvement community to transform secondary mathematics teacher preparation. (https://amte.net/content/mathematics-teacher-education-partnership-power-networked-improvement-community-transform)

• Proceedings of the 8th Annual MTE-Partnership Conference (https://www.aplu.org/wp-content/uploads/920STRIDES-1.pdf)

• Proceedings of the 7th Annual MTE-Partnership Conference (http://www.aplu.org/projects-and-initiatives/stem-education/mathematics-teacher-education-partnership/mtep-conferences-meetings/mtep7.html)

• Proceedings of the 6th Annual MTE-Partnership Conference (http://www.aplu.org/projects-and-initiatives/stem-education/mathematics-teacher-education-partnership/mtep-conferences-meetings/mtep6.html)