Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics - IEA

172
TEACHER PAY AND STUDENT MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT
United States
Composition of the teacher labor force
The teaching force in elementary and secondary schools (public plus private) has grown
steadily in the United States, from 2.3 million teachers in 1970 to 2.5 million in 1980,
and from 2.7 million in 1990 through to 3.3 million in 2000, and on to 3.5 million
in 2005 (National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), 2004, Table 4). Figure
70 shows this trend. About 40% of the total K–12 teaching force in the 1990s was in
secondary education. The proportion of teachers in private schools increased slightly
in this period, from 10% to 11%.
The number of teachers has increased more rapidly than the number of students in
schools: the student–teacher ratio declined from just under 22.5 students for every
teacher in 1970 to just over 18.5 students per teacher in 1980, just under 17 per teacher
in 1990, 16 in 2000, and 15.5 in 2005. This downwards trend is expected to continue
in the coming years (NCES, 2004, Table 64). In the 10-year period encompassing 1970
to 1980, the drop in the student–teacher ratio exceeded the drop in ratio in the 25
years following 1980, even though the increase in the number of teachers was smaller,
proportionately, than in the period 1980 to 2005.
Figure 70: United States, Public and Private School Teachers, 1980 to 2010 (Projected)
3,800
3,600
3,400
Number of Teachers
3,200
3,000
2,800
2,600
2,400
2,200
2,000
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
Year
Source: NCES (2004, Table 4).
Teacher education and recruitment
Teacher education, recruitment, and pay are highly decentralized in the United States.
Each state sets its own requirements for teacher certification, although some states have
provisions for “alternative” or “emergency” certification schemes that allow people who
have not met all state requirements to teach, usually on a temporary basis. All states
require certified teachers to have completed a Bachelor’s degree program that includes
both subject matter and pedagogical studies for an initial credential. Most teachers
major in education (primary school teachers) or in a subject matter and take sufficient
education courses to obtain certification. Many states have additional requirements for
second- and third-stage certification, such as additional courses, a Master’s degree, and
examinations.