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NSF & Congress
Hearing
Summary: House Science Committee Hearing on Teacher Recruitment, Training, Professional Development & Retention
June 10, 1999
On June 10th the House Science Committee,
jointly with the Committee on Education and the Workforce,
held the third in its series of hearings on improving
science and mathematics education in the U.S., focusing
on teacher recruitment, preparation, professional
development, and retention. Witnesses included Dr.
John Staver, Director, Center for Science Education,
President, Association for Education of Teachers of
Science and Professor, Kansas State University; Dr.
Howard Voss, Chairman , Physics Department, Arizona
State University; Dr. Jane Kahle, Condit Professor
of Science Education, Miami University of Ohio; and
Ms. Pamela B. Tackett, Executive Director, Texas State
Board for Educator Certification.
Rep. Ehlers kicked off the hearing by stating the importance
of teacher preparation in the content areas in which
they teach, and said he is disturbed by the number
of teachers teaching in areas for which they have
no major or minor. In this light he emphasized the
role of schools of education in the preparation of
these students for the workplace of the future. Rep.
Ehlers also asked each witness to submit a short paper
to the committee discussing America's dream with respect
to teachers, and what the federal government can do
to help. Rep. McKeon added that better trained teachers
in their subject areas would ensure success.
Mr. Voss (recruitment) stated that because America
no longer holds teachers in high regard, societal
changes are necessary to recruit the more than 2 million
teachers needed at the K-12 level by 2007. This effort,
he said, will require national leadership as well
as leadership from societies and business leaders.
Dr. Staver (teacher preparation) said effective teachers
of the future will need firm intellectual grounding
as well as experience in four domains: science, learning,
teaching, and the teaching setting. And, there must
be integration across these domains. He then described
15 parameters of high quality science teacher preparation
programs that achieve such integration. He also mentioned
the emergence of the concept of a Professional Development
School, working in partnership with a university for
effective science teacher education.
Dr. Kahle (professional development) reviewed research
on what makes for effective teaching practices and
student achievement. She said short-term programs
do not result in content knowledge for teachers or
student learning. She said systemic reform increases
student achievement because it incorporates standards-based
learning. She stated that a successful program should
have sustained, content-based follow-up experiences,
including leadership opportunities and model strategies.
There should be ongoing assessment, incentives, programs
should be tied to career goals and there should be
accountability. Ms. Tackett (Retention) said that
teacher retention rates would increase if teachers
were offered more support during the first 3 years
where the percentage of teachers that drop out of
the profession is high. She further noted the need
for more collaboration between school districts and
teacher preparation programs to create a new environment
and standards for certification.
Rep. Ehlers started the questioning off with the hypothetical
situation of what each witness would do if they were
the head of a monarchy faced with the current problems
the U.S. is faced with in teacher retention. Witnesses
agreed that a major hurdle to solve is the lack of
esteem with which we hold our teachers. There must
also be a good opportunity for teacher development
locally at colleges and universities. Ranking Member
E.B. Johnson questioned witnesses on assessment measures
for in-service training of science and math teachers
to improve student learning. Dr. Kahle noted that
while information dissemination in this area is effective
within states, it is not so across state lines. She
stated that systemic change initiatives move from
the teacher being the center of change to the schools
being the center of change. On the subject of teacher
certification, Ms. Tackett said that until training
is brought together with what is being taught, there
will be fragmentation and, therefore, there is a need
to put pressure on the higher education system to
show they have responsibility for training teachers.
Rep. Biggert questioned witnesses on how to retain
the best and brightest teachers. Ms. Tackett pointed
out four reasons why teachers leave: frustration with
not understanding the system; salaries; lack of administrative
support; and discipline in the classroom. Rep. Biggert
went to question whether the level of skill needed
to teach math and science would keep teachers out
of these subjects, to which Ms. Tackett noted this
was especially true in middle schools. Rep. Woolsey
talked about a bill she has introduced intended to
encourage more women in science and engineering. Dr.
Kahle stated that cooperative learning groups and
inquiry-based learning are effective in getting and
keeping the attention of girls and that building confidence,
which these groups do, is the key. Mr. Voss echoed
these comments.
Rep. Bartlett raised eyebrows by arguing that giving
schools more money to improve the quality of math
and science education may not necessarily go for those
purposes, and could be sidelined into spending on
other school activities like buildings, uniforms,
etc. He further noted that many mothers look to the
schools to take over their roles as they are forced
by economic times into the workplace. Rep. Etheridge
disputed these claims stating that the relevant questions
are: What is the proper federal role in teacher preparation?
How do we retain high-quality teachers? How can we
improve the conditions under which teachers teach?
Rep. Gutknecht discussed the need for certification
changes based on the market demand for qualified instructors,
to which Ms. Tackett noted alternative routes to certification
in Texas which added 5,000 teachers and involve mid-career
people. She further noted that a major issue across
the country is that school boards do not understand
the culture of the schools. Rep. Etheridge added that
where school boards used to do policy jointly with
schools, they now have a tendency to want to do policy
and lead.
Rep. Petri asked about science and math clubs and their
effectiveness in capturing the interest of students.
Dr. Staver mentioned funding from the National Science
Foundation for teacher preparation for this purpose,
and how these clubs are having positive results.
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