NCES has released two publications examining the qualifications of public school teachers: Education and Certification Qualifications of Public Middle Grades Teachers of Selected Subjects as well as Education and Certification Qualifications of Departmentalized Public High School-Level Teachers of Selected Subjects.
These statistical analysis reports examine the postsecondary majors and teaching certifications of public middle school teachers and high school-level teachers of departmentalized classes. The reports use data from the 2011–12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), a sample survey of elementary and secondary schools in the United States.
At the middle school level, the report describes teachers of grades 5–8; the report also describes students and classrooms in grades 6–8. Findings at the Middle School Level include the following:
- Less than half of middle grades departmentalized teachers in English, mathematics, science, and social science held both a postsecondary degree and a teaching certificate in their respective main subject assignment. More than 50 percent of teachers in French, Spanish, art/arts and crafts, music, and health education held both a postsecondary degree and teaching certification in their main subject assignment.
- More than half of grade 6-8 departmentalized classes in English, mathematics, science, social science, French, German, Spanish, art/arts and crafts, music, health education, and general elementary education were taught by teachers with either a major or certification in the class subject.
- Just over 40 percent of nondepartmentalized teachers — teachers who remain with the same class of students all day or provide individualized services — are general elementary education teachers. These general elementary education teachers divide their time evenly across the four core subjects of reading, mathematics, science, and social science. Fifty-four percent of these general elementary education teachers hold a major and certification in general elementary education.
At the high school level, the report examines the percentages of teachers who have a major or certificate in their main assignment in a selection of 11 broad subject areas and 9 subfields. The 11 broad subject areas include English, mathematics, science, social science, French, German, Latin, Spanish, art/arts and crafts, music, and dance/drama or theater. Subfields of science include biology/life science, physical science, chemistry, earth science, and physics. Subfields of social science include economics, geography, government/civics, and history. Findings at the high school level include the following:
- In general, a majority of teachers of 11 broad subject fields held both a postsecondary degree and a teaching certification in their respective main assignments, except for Latin and dance/drama or theater.
- In the 11 broad subject areas, a majority of grade 9–12 classes were taught by teachers with both an in-field major and an in-field certification, except for German, Latin, and dance/drama or theater.
- In the 11 broad subject areas, a majority of students in grades 9–12 were taught by teachers with both an in-field major and an in-field certification in that subject area, except for German, Latin, and dance/drama or theater.
These Statistical Analysis Reports are a product of the National Center for Education Statistics at the Institute of Education Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Education.
To view the reports, please visit:
Middle School: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2015815
High School: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2015814
