Education and Certification Qualifications of Departmentalized Public High School-Level Teachers of Selected Subjects: Evidence from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey. NCES 2015-814
Author: Hill, Jason
Date: 2015-06-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: High School Students,High Schools,Majors (Students),Public School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Teacher Characteristics,Teacher Qualifications,Teacher Certification,Teacher Education,Teacher Placement,Social Sciences,Science Teachers,Music Teachers,Mathematics Teachers,Language Teachers,English Teachers,Art Teachers,Enrollment,Comparative Analysis,Evidence,Correlation,Outcomes of Education

This report examines the postsecondary majors and teaching certifications of public high school-level teachers of departmentalized classes in selected subject areas by using data from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), a sample survey of elementary and secondary schools in the United States. SASS collects data on American public and private elementary and secondary schools and their related components (teachers, principals, libraries, and districts, where applicable). Prior research in the field of education has examined the correlation between teacher education (postsecondary major) and certification and student outcomes (Ferguson 1991, 1998; Goldhaber and Brewer 1997, 1999, 2000; Mayer, Mullens, and Moore 2000; Sanders, Wright, and Horn 1997; Clotfelter, Ladd, and Vigdor 2010; Kane, Rockoff, and Staiger 2008). While this report does not link teacher qualifications to student outcomes, it contributes to the existing body of research by examining the extent to which teachers have in-field qualifications and the extent to which classes and students are being taught by teachers with in-field qualifications. Specifically, this report examines the qualifications of high school-level teachers of departmentalized classes in three ways. First, the report examines the percentages of public high school-level teachers who earned a degree in an in-field major, held an in-field certification, had both in-field qualifications, or had neither in-field qualifications. Second, the report looks at the percentages of grade 9-12 classes taught by teachers with one or both in-field qualifications. Finally, the report presents findings on the percentages of students in grades 9-12 who were taught by a teacher with one or both in-field qualifications. At all three levels of analysis (teacher, class, and student), teachers' qualifications are considered in relation to the 11 following broad subject areas: English, mathematics, science, social science, French, German, Latin, Spanish, art/arts and crafts, music, and dance/drama or theater. Of these 11 broad subject areas, science and social science are analyzed with more granularity through 6 subfields of science and social science (biology/life sciences, physical science, economics, geography, government/civics, and history) and 3 further subfields of physical science (chemistry, earth sciences, and physics). Teachers of these subjects are considered in-field majors if they hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the subject(s) they taught. To be considered fully certified in the analysis, teachers need to hold a regular or standard state certification, an advanced professional certificate, or a certificate issued after satisfying all requirements except the completion of a probationary period. Certifications must apply to at least one of grades 9-12, except for the subjects of art/arts and crafts, music, and dance/drama or theater for which an ungraded certification (a certification that does not restrict a teacher to a specific grade range) is accepted. The following are appended: (1) Standard Error Tables; (2) Technical Notes and Methodology; (3) Caution Concerning Changes in Estimates; (4) Description of Variables; and (5) Glossary of Terms.