Education center advises future teachers

Education majors might have increased signing bonuses and other incentives to look forward to after a new study was released by the IU Center for Evaluation and Education Policy.\nThe policy brief, "Emerging Trends in Teachers Recruitment and Retention in the No Child Left Behind Era," evaluates the new federal requirements by the No Child Left Behind Act and offers suggestions to help school districts with teacher retention and recruitment.\nThe No Child Left Behind Act required all teachers employed by the states to be classified as "highly qualified" in their own areas of specialization by July 1, 2006. However, dwindling numbers of new recruits, the steady increase in the number of retirees and the rising student population have all contributed to the pressure on school systems to fill many vacant teacher positions, said Terry Spradlin, associate director for education policy at CEEP and co-author of the brief.\nThe U.S. Department of Education requires qualified teachers to have a bachelor's degree and full certification and to "demonstrate competency in the subject matter they teach." \nBefore the federal deadline last July, school districts were able to cover shortages with "emergency permit" or "limited license" teachers.\n"Maybe it's a math teacher and the high school needs a chemistry teacher," Spradlin said. "So the algebra teacher also teaches chemistry, but aren't licensed to teach chemistry."\nThe federal government currently doesn't allow that, Spradlin said.\nSpradlin explained that the shortage of teachers is most devastating in special education and secondary education, particularly in math and science.\n"If students are really successful in science or math, then they have so many other opportunities," said Charles Barman, IUPUI professor of science and environmental education. "If a student is offered a job teaching at $31, $32 or $35,000 but can start in some other industrial job for $50,000, it doesn't take a genius to figure out where they're going to go." \nEnglish and education major Chris Tucker agreed.\n"There are jobs out there that take just as much schooling or less and make more money," Tucker said.\nHe said he plans to teach just enough so he can become a principal and earn better pay.\nThe brief also suggests "more innovative practices than what are in use now," to attract new teachers, Spradlin said. The brief suggests that Title II Part A funds could be used for "grow-your-own-teacher programs" which encourage new teachers in hard-to-staff schools by increasing sign-on bonuses or loan-forgiveness programs.\nThe brief also encourages expanding the Minority Teacher/Special Education Scholarships. \nCurrently, there are 260 scholarships. However, Spradlin said others could be added and they could provide more money to each prospective teachers.\n"I think that our country is recognizing the importance of education and is putting it as a higher priority," Diana Lambdin, associate dean for teacher education, said.