An Assessment of Problems Faced by High School Agricultural Education Teachers.

Leaders in the agricultural education profession established a goal to expand the number of programs offering high school agriculture education over the next 10 years. If the agricultural education profession is going to meet this challenge, it will need to increase its supply of qualified teachers. Currently agricultural education faces a shortage of qualified teachers. The situation is made worse by the attrition of teachers from the profession. One way to increase the number of qualified agricultural education teachers is to reduce the number of teachers who leave the profession early through attrition. The purpose of this study was to identify and quantify the problems faced as beginning teachers and the problems teachers currently face in West Virginia. Financial rewards for teaching were perceived as a moderate to strong problem for teachers as they entered the profession and as a moderate to strong problem for current teachers. Teachers viewed time management, paperwork, and balancing school and home activities as a slight to moderate problem for beginning teachers as well as a slight to moderate problem for current teachers. Respondents also felt facilities-equipment, student motivation, and discipline were slight to moderate problems for beginning teachers. Introduction/Theoretical Framework In 2005, The National Council for Agricultural Education announced a longrange strategic goal of having 10,000 agricultural science programs in place by the year 2015 (Team Ag Ed, n.d.). To place the 10 x 15 goal in perspective, in 2005 there were 7,242 active FFA chapters with 8,889 FFA advisors (Team Ag Ed). To meet this goal, the agricultural education profession will have to generate more than 2,500 additional certified agricultural education teachers in the next 10 years, a 33% increase above the average of 760 qualified teachers generated each year (Kantrovich, 2007). The 10 x 15 goal will exacerbate the current shortage of individuals willing to teach agricultural education. For example, in 2006 there were 785 individuals newly qualified to teach agricultural education. Only 69.8% of these newly qualified teachers entered the teaching profession, leaving 78 teaching positions unfilled (Kantrovich, 2007). Although the numbers have fluctuated, unfilled teaching positions in agricultural education have been an annual phenomenon. There are a number of factors that contribute to the teacher shortage. Agricultural education graduates are qualified for a number of private sector and government positions. In a regional study of agricultural education graduates, Hovatter (2002) found that 50% of certified graduates were employed in a profession other than teaching. Croasmun, Hampton, and Herrmann (1999) found that teacher attrition was the largest factor determining the demand for teachers in the United States. Approximately 20% of all K-12 teachers employed in 1994 were not in the same occupation 3 years later (Henke & Zahn, 2001). Nearly one in three first-year teachers employed in the 1970s left the profession (Croasmun et al.). In many situations, attrition is linked to the number and types of problems teachers face. A teacher’s success or failure in their given profession is dependent on their Journal of Agricultural Education Volume 50, Number 1, pp. 21 – 32 DOI: 10.5032/jae.2009. 01021 Boone & Boone An Assessment of Problems. Journal of Agricultural Education 22 Volume 50, Number 1, 2009 ability to solve these problems. Numerous studies found salary to be one of the leading reasons for leaving the teaching profession (Ingersoll, 2001, 2003; Self, 2001; U.S. Department of Education, 1999). Many teachers leaving the profession indicated poor administrative support as the reason (Fox & Certo, 1999; Gersten, Gillman, Morvant, & Billingsley, 1995; Ingersoll, 2001, 2003; Self; U.S. Department of Education, 2002). Other problems linked to teacher attrition include lack of parental support (Fox & Certo; Self), lack of involvement in decision making (Fox & Certo; Gersten et al.; Ingersoll, 2001, 2003), student discipline (Ingersoll, 2001, 2003; Self), poor student motivation (Ingersoll, 2001, 2003; Self), large class sizes (Ingersoll, 2001), inadequate time to prepare (Ingersoll, 2001), and lack of community support (Ingersoll, 2001). To meet the 10 x 15 goal established by Team Ag Ed, steps must be taken to increase the supply of qualified agricultural education teachers. Because many teachers leave teaching because of problems they face (Fox & Certo, 1999; Gersten et al., 1995; Luekens, Lyter, & Fox, 2004; Self, 2001; U.S. Department of Education, 1999, 2002), the profession needs to devote more time and energy to identifying and providing services to help the teachers through these situations. Review of Literature Job satisfaction is directly linked to the problems faced by teachers of agricultural education. Perie and Baker (1997) found that workplace factors/problems such as administrative support, parental involvement, and teacher control over the classroom were significant contributors to teacher satisfaction. A number of studies have examined the job satisfaction of agricultural education teachers and found they were satisfied with their jobs (Cano & Miller, 1992; Castillo, Conklin, & Cano, 1999; Flowers & Pepple, 1988; Newcomb, Betts, & Cano, 1987). Teachers who are satisfied with their career also perceive themselves as effective classroom teachers (Bruening & Hoover, 1991). A review of the literature identified the following problems faced by teachers: salaries (Croasmun et al., 1999; Fox & Certo, 1999; Self, 2001; U.S. Department of Education, 2002), marital status (Croasmun et al.), low ability students (Farrington, 1980), student motivation (Farrington; Heath-Camp, Camp, Adams-Casmus, Talbert, & Barber, 1992; Self, 2001; Veenman, 1987), demands of young and adult farmer programs (Farrington; Miller & Scheid, 1984), balancing school and personal lives (Godley, Klug, & Wilson, 1985; Mundt & Connors, 1999), community support (Heath-Camp et al.; Mundt & Connors), management and organizational skills (Godley et al.; Miller & Scheid; Mundt & Connors; Talbert, Camp, & HeathCamp, 1994), student discipline (Godley et al.; Heath-Camp et al.; Karge, 1993; Self; U.S. Department of Education, 1999; Talbert et al.; Veenman), administration support (Fox & Certo; Gersten et al., 1995; Mundt & Connors; Self; Sultana, 2002; Veenman), facilities and equipment (Farrington; Heath-Camp et al.; Veenman), time management (Heath-Camp et al.; Mundt & Connors; Talbert et al.; Veenman), lesson planning (Heath-Camp et al.; Talbert et al.), recruiting students (Mundt & Connors), paperwork (Karge; Mundt & Connors; Veenman), parental relationships (Fox & Certo; Heath-Camp et al.; U.S. Department of Education, 1999, Veenman), stress (U.S. Department of Education, 1999), and preparation (U.S. Department of Education, 2002).