The “greening” (i.e., inexperience) of the U.S. teacher workforce puts a premium on districts and schools hiring effective and persistent beginning teachers. Given the limitations of characteristics currently available at the time of hiring (e.g., academic ability, preparation type), we built off previous research in economics and psychology to investigate associations between personality traits and first-year teachers’ performance and retention in North Carolina public schools. Using the 5-factor model of personality, we find that conscientiousness is significantly associated with higher value-added estimates, higher evaluation ratings, and higher retention rates. Additionally, general self-efficacy, a subdomain of conscientiousness, is significantly associated with teacher value added and evaluation ratings. These conscientiousness results are consistent with a rich body of evidence connecting conscientiousness-related measures to employee performance and retention across professions, and they suggest that districts and schools should consider using personality trait measures, along with other valid indicators, as a way to improve teacher hiring decisions.

In the present study we consider whether certain pre-service teachers (PSTs) particularly benefit from high-quality student teaching experiences. To conduct these analyses, we connect student teaching and K-12 workforce data for six educator preparation programs (EPPs) and assess whether placement school and cooperating teacher characteristics predict the effectiveness of early-career teachers. Results show that high-quality student teaching placements especially benefit PSTs with lower GPAs and narrow effectiveness gaps between teachers with lower versus higher GPAs. These findings call for closer partnerships between EPPs and school districts and suggest that EPPs may wish to prioritize placements for PSTs with lower GPAs.

Equivalent forms of a questionnaire were administered to elementary classroom and resource room teachers. The questionnaires were designed to elicit teachers' attitudes and perceptions as to the effectiveness and appropriateness of mainstreaming, regular classroom teachers' level of skill competency, assistance from the resource room, and communication between the resource room and regular classroom teachers. Results indicated that resource and regular teachers evidenced differential perceptions as to all factors investigated. Educational implications of the findings were discussed and specific recommendations were proposed.Recent litigation and legislation at the state and national level require that handicapped students receive a free education commensurate with their needs, and, where appropriate, be educated with their nonhandicapped peers. Such goals necessitate that the majority of students presently labeled handicapped receive their education within the mainstream of the regular school program. Because these children exhibit a diverse and unique range of problems, their education and remediation require the combined resources and energies of both special and regular educators. Consequently, if the mainstreaming effort is to be facilitated, educational personnel must work together harmoniously.Although few have questioned the philosophical and humanitarian goals underlying integration, empirical evidence directly supporting the mainstreaming rationale is not substantial (Keogh & Levitt, 1976). Despite this fact, and because of the legislative pressure of PL 94-142 and recent court decisions, mainstreaming programs have mushroomed in schools across the nation. Unfortunately, the quality of many of these programs is unknown. It would be naive to assume that legislative action and legal decisions will insure the development and implementation of appropriate mainstreaming programs.The success of integration is, in part, contingent upon the attitudes of the individuals directly or indirectly involved. Of primary importance is the willingness of regular and special educators to accomodate the mainstreaming principle. In a recent study, Hudson, Graham, and Warner (1979) found that regular classroom teachers were not supportive of the mainstreaming concept. Teachers believed that they did not have the time, support services, or necessary training to effectively teach handicapped learners in their classroom. Class size, inaccessibility of materials, time restraints, and the unavailability of immediate and long-term support services were related to unfavorable attitudes.One aspect of the Hudson, et al. (1979) study that bears further investigation involves the unavailability of immediate and long-term support services. If adequate support services are insufficient or not available, the likelihood of providing a mainstreamed handicapped learner with an appropriate education is greatly diminished. Furthermore, Based in part on a Master's Thesis completed at the University of Kansas by Judy Lockwood. 128

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A review of grading issues, philosophies, and recommendations is provided with implications and specific suggestions for grading mainstreamed handicapped pupils at the secondary level. A synthesis of available literature examines the wide range of viewpoints regarding optimal grading practices for general students and for remedial and handicapped pupils. A position statement related directly to grading secondary mainstreamed handicapped pupils concludes the paper.