A Multidimensional Analysis of Teacher Preparation in Texas

Daniella G Varela,Marie-Anne Mundy,Lori Kupczynski

doi:10.32861/rje.56.106.113

Abstract

Despite a healthy production of teachers, teacher attrition is a significant concern facing school administrators across the state of Texas. This study sought to determine the extent to which questions on the Exit and Principal Surveys reflect three sets of standards which guide educator preparation in Texas: Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) Standards for Teacher Educators, Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Educator Preparation Program Curriculum Standards, and Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) Exam Standards. This analysis provides important information about the validity of survey questions as a measure of standards compliance for educator preparation in Texas and also sought to determine if there is a difference between teacher candidates’ Exit Survey evaluation of preparation and principals’ Principal Survey evaluation of first-year teachers’ preparation. Findings indicated a clear disconnect. Recommendations are provided as contributions for future discussion on much needed educator preparation program standards reform.

Highlights

In 2018, educator preparation programs across the state of Texas prepared and certified 87,680 new teachers in areas including elementary and bilingual education, career and technical education, computer science, foreign languages, special education, and the four core areas: mathematics, science, social studies, and English (Texas Education Agency, 2019)
Following approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB), data was collected from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) via a Public Information Request (PIR) as to survey responses on the Exit Survey and Principal Survey for the years 2011-2013, and responses on the Principal Survey for First-Year Teachers for the years 2011-2013
Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) Standards for Teacher Educators are minimally reflected in survey questions (M= 1.06, Median=1.00, SD= .827)

Summary

Introduction

In 2018, educator preparation programs across the state of Texas prepared and certified 87,680 new teachers in areas including elementary and bilingual education, career and technical education, computer science, foreign languages, special education, and the four core areas: mathematics, science, social studies, and English (Texas Education Agency, 2019). Despite a healthy production of teachers, teacher attrition is a significant concern facing school administrators (Carver-Thomas and Darling-Hammond, 2019; Sass et al, 2011). In Texas, attrition of all teachers was markedly higher for the smallest school districts than for the largest. That these realities are not novel as shortages in core subject areas date as far back as the 1930s (Sutcher et al, 2019). Almost one-third of new teachers leave the field within the first three years and almost half of all new teachers leave the field after the first five years (Darling-Hammond, 2003; Sutcher et al, 2019)

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Conclusion