Easy in, Easy out

Abstract

Alternative certification programs are now commonplace in the credentialing of new teachers. We complement the growing evidence base for these teachers by exploring their turnover patterns in four waves of the nationally representative Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). We report on descriptive evidence of growing differences in the characteristics of alternatively and traditionally certified teachers and the schools in which they teach. Controlling for factors that predict higher turnover, we find that by the 2007-2008 school year, alternatively certified teachers were still more likely than traditionally certified teachers to leave the profession. We find some evidence that an increase in the number of organizational supports for new teachers may reduce the likelihood of turnover.

Examining the relationship of teacher perception of accountability and assessment policies on teacher turnover during NCLB

“…Using the 2007-2008 SASS administration data, these authors also found that alternatively certified teachers were significantly more likely to turnover as compared to traditionally certified teachers. The rate of turnover of alternatively certified teachers increased from 1999-2000 to 2007-2008 while the rate of traditionally certified teachers decreased during the same time-period (Redding & Smith, 2016). Boyd et al (2011) also found that alternatively certified teachers from both local New York state alternative certification programs and from the Teach for America (TFA) program were significantly more likely to turnover as compared to traditionally certified, "college recommended" (CR) teachers from New York university programs.…”

“…Teacher education and route to certification have also been previously shown to have a relationship to turnover. In an examination of SASS data, Redding and Smith (2016) found that the number of teachers entering teaching through alternative pathways has been steadily increasing, with teachers using these pathways making up 25% of the total teaching force by the 2011-2012 SASS administration. Using the 2007-2008 SASS administration data, these authors also found that alternatively certified teachers were significantly more likely to turnover as compared to traditionally certified teachers.…”

“…Categorical dummy-coded variables for teacher experience (Early Career = 0-5 years experience, Mid-career = 6-15 years experience, Late Career = > 15 years experience) were created from the continuous SASS "TOTEXPER" variable in each data set (Table 3), and the mid-career experience range was the reference category in the analysis. Dichotomous variables were created for teacher gender (male is reference), alternative teacher certification (regular certification is reference), and teacher race/ethnicity (white is reference; teachers who identified as African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, or Pacific Islander where collapsed into a single category) (Boyd et al, 2011;Ingersoll & May, 2011a, 2011bRedding & Smith, 2016).…”

Forbes 30 under 30 in education: Manufacturing “edu-preneur” networks to promote and reinforce privatization/marketization in education

“…Finding roots in Milton Friedman, marketoriented education reformers seek to inject competition (note the business terminology) into the public sphere of public education. And, despite a growing body of research that suggests that charter schools underperform traditional public schools (Miron, Mathis, & Welner, 2015) and exacerbate segregation (Author & Lubienski, 2017;Frankenberg, 2011;Frankenberg & Lewis, 2012), and other research raising concerns over alternative certification programs like Teach For America (Brewer, 2014;Anderson, 2013aAnderson, , 2013bRedding & Smith, 2016;Scott, Trujillo, & Rivera, 2016), these reforms continue to expand. And these reforms are not conducted within a vacuum.…”

“…Kane, Rockoff, & Staiger, 2008). Notwithstanding a possibility of differences in outcomes based on undergraduate training, what is clear is that background training in education strongly shapes the dispositions and approach to pedagogy (Lahann & Regan, 2011;Nukic, 2011) and that teachers who are alternatively certified are far more likely to have higher rates of turnover (Redding & Smith, 2016).…”