ERIC ED390799: Teachers for California's Schools in the 21st Century: Recruitment and Support Programs. Executive Summary.

15 Pages·1994·0.33 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
SP 035 312
ED 390 799
McLevie, John G.
AUTHOR
Teachers for California's Schools in the 21st
TITLE
Century: Recruitment and Support Programs. Executive
Summary.
California Commission of Teacher Credentialing,
INSTITUTION
Sacramento
94
PUB DATE
035
15p.; For full report summarized here, see SP
NOTE
931.
1812
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing,
AVAILABLE FROM
Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-7000.
Descriptive (141)
Reports
PUB TYPE
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Alternative Teacher Certification; College Students;
DESCRIPTORS
*Enrollment Trends;
Elementary Secondary Education;
Ethnic Groups; Futures (of Society); Higher
Education; High School Students; Internship Programs;
*Minority Group Teachers; Multicultural Education;
*Program Development; Schools of Education; Teacher
*Teaching
Education Programs; *Teacher Recruitment;
(Occupation)
*California; *Diversity (Student); Teacher
IDENTIFIERS
Candidates
ABSTRACT
of
Surveys of colleges, schools, and departments
institutions that offer
education in most of the 73 state and private
indicated that projections
teacher preparation programs in California
increase in diversity to
for the teaching profession showed little
sufficient role models for students from
ensure equity, or prcvided
discuss programs
all ethnic groups. The chapters in this report
and several other
developed in the California State University system
1, "California: A State of
colleges to address this problem. Chapter
Multicultural
Vibrant Diversity. Multicultural Classrooms in a
creation of a
Society," focuses on future population projections, the
minority group drop-out
pipeline of possible teacher candidates, and
Programs that
problems. The second chapter, "Teacher Preparation
pre-collegiate
Work," describes college programs and alternative and
students over a number of years.
programs that provide support for
3, addresses
"Recruiting Excellent Teachers," the topic of chapter
Recommendations developed for
college and pre-collegiate programs.
experienced specialists
the purpose of further discussion with
centers, continued
include: the establishment of teacher recruitment
Teacher Diversity
support for the California State University
the development of
Programs, support for alternative programs, and
future educator clubs.
(LL)
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it
for California's Schools
in the 21st Century
Recruitment and Support Programs
Executive Summary
UAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Orfirm or Educate:mei Remerco and
involovemnt
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
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Commission on Teacher Credentialing
Jerilyn R. Harris, Chair
Philip A. Fitch, Ed.D., Executive Director
April 1994
Members of the Commission
Jerilyn R. Harris, Chair
Teacher
Verna B. Dauterive, Vice-Chair
Administrator
Phillip Barker
Teacher
Pamela Davis
Office of Superintendent of
Public Instruction
Carolyn Ellner
Higher Education
Scott Harvey
Public Representative
Juanita Haugen
School- Board Member
Elizabeth Heidig
Public Representative
Torrie L. Norton
Teacher
Edmund Sutro
Teacher
Darryl Yagi
Counselor
Nancy Zarenda
Teacher
Ex Officio Members
Representing
Edward DeRoche
Association of Independent
California Colleges and Universities
Barbara Merino
Regents, University of California
Erwin Seibel
California Postsecondary
Education Commission
Henk-ietta Schwartz
California State University
[TEACHERS
for California's Schools
in the 21st Century
Recruitment and Support Programs
Executive Summary
John G. McLevie
Consultant in Program Evaluation and Research
Commission on Teacher Credentialing
State of California
1812 Ninth Street
Sacramento, California 95814-7000
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Colleges, schools, and departments of education in most of the 73 state and
private institutions that provide teacher preparation programs in California
study. Recruiting New Teachers
I esponded to surveys carried out for this
Incorporated in Belmont, Massachusetts, provided information about nationwide
initiatives and will be the co-sponsor, with the California Commission on Teacher
Credendaling, of a symposium in Los Angeles on April 23, 1994.
The Commission and its staff are gr iteful for assistance in assembling informa
don for this report. All responsibility fbr the report and its contents remain with the
Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
may be obtained by calling
Copies of this
Executive Summary
John McLevie, California Commission on Teacher
Credentialing, at [phone] or tw sending a request to
him at 1812 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA, 95814-7000.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
IV
FOREWORD
I. CALIFORNIA: A STATE OF VIBRANT DIVERSITY
MULTICULTURAL CLASSROOMS
IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY
1
Future Projections
1
Providing the Teachers
1
Creating a Pipeline of Possible Teacher Candidates
2
A Series of Hemorrhages: Drop-Out Problems
2
3
II. TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS THAT WORK
3
College Programs
Alternative and Pre-Collegiate Programs
5
5
III. RECRUITING EXCELLZ.NT TEACHERS
5
College Programs
6
Pre-Collegiate Programs
7
IV. RECOMMENDATIONS
8
ENDNOTES
their own racial/ethnic groups contribut-
Few citizens of California would
ing to a larger society."2
argue with the proposal that the
Data quoted in a recent publication
education we provide our children
by The Tomis Rivera Center indicate that
:-,rlay is the cornerstone of California's
Latino teachers have a number of posi-
success tomorrow. If groups of children
tive effects on Latino students.
in
are short-changed by what they receive
will be
our schools, the whole society
POSITIVE EFFECTS OF LATINO TEACHERS
blighted. The technologically complex
FOR LATINO K-12 STUDENTS'
society of the twenty-first century will
Fewer Latino students placed in EMR
require the contributions of all ethnic
classes;
and
groups as it develops a professional
More Latino students identified as gifted;
competent work force to drive a state of
Lower rates of corporal punishment, out-of-
well over thirty-five million citizens.
school suspensions, alternative educa-
tion assignments, and expulsions of
The best teachers are needed as
Latino students;
role models, instructors and facilitators of
Lower Latino drop-out rates;
learning. Eighty-two perunt of
Lower retention rates (fewer Latino students
California's teachers today are white and
"held back");
only 18 percent represent all other
Higher Latino scores on standardized
cultural groups combined. In 1990, 54
mathematics tests; and
percent of California's school children
Higher Latino scores on standardized
communication tests.
came from under-represented groups;
they are minorities no longer. By the year
Public consciousness of the need to
2000 it is projected' that 65 percent of
provide greater diversity in the teaching
of ethnic
our children will be members
in the
profession is increasing. On February 9,
groups heavily under-represented
1994, some 500 Latino young people met
teaching profession. There is an urgent
at the State Capitol to express their need
need to provide a more equitable educa-
for education that is more relevant .o
tional preparation for all students so that
Latino youth, including a need for more
California may augment the 7.5 percent
Latino teachers.
of teachers who, in 1990, were Latino;
In Poway, California, a local Filipino
the 5.6 percent who were Black; the 4.1
community representative was quoted as
percent who were Asian; and the 0.7
saying, "We always hear that Poway
percent who were Native American.
All
Unified wants to hire only the best, but
skill in
our children need to see that
what does that say to our children that so
teaching does not reside in a particular
few teachers are Filipino?" One of the
cultural or ethnic group.
Poway High School principals spoke of
Barbara Holmes, a senior policy
the need for divecsity: "A diverse staff
analyst of the Education Commission of
means you have a number of different
the States, found that: "Minority teachers
role models on your campus, and a
provide role models that help build
number of different perspectives."'
aspirations and raise self-esteem of
of
minority students who see members
a
FUTURE PROJECTIONS
p
opulation projections for California
TABLE 1
in the year 2025 indicate the size of
ETHNIC GROUP ENROLLMENT
the White and Latino populations will be
K-12 STUDENTS IN CAUFORNIA
roughly equal. Shortly after 2040, the
2000
1990
Latino population will likely become the
Ethnic Group
majority of the state's population. In the
45.6
34.6
White
schools, however, Latino students will be
34.4
45.5
Latino
more numerous than White students well
8.6
7.4
Black
before the year 2025. Considerabl2
8.9
7.8
Asian
increases in the Asian student population
2.2
2.3
Filipino
are also projected.' The figures Table 1
0.6
0.5
Pacific Islander
show a projected shift in K through 12
0.8
0.8
Native American
students between 1990 and the year 2000,
now only six years away.
PROVIDING THE TEACHERS
I
FIGURE 1
projections for California's teaching
ETHNIC DISTRIBUTION BY PERCENTAGE FOR
profession show little increase in
TEACHER PREPARATION CANDIDATES
diversity to ensure equity, nor to provide
ENROLLED IN CAUFORNIA COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES
sufficient role models for students from
all ethnic groups. Figure 1, developed
Asian
itt
from candidate enrollments in college
teacher education programs, shows only
Black
small increases in under-represented
groups. To address this problem, pro-
Hispanic
grams have been developed at the
White
California State University System and
several other colleges in California.
Other
1
These programs are discussed in the next
MO
section of this report. However, the
100%
00%
00%
40%
20%
0%
impact of these programs will be gradual
":_; 1989 1990 iggi
1.11988
and, unless more high school students
Source California Commission on Teacher Credentaiing
from under-represented groups gain
enrollments of 54.4 percent Latino and
access to college, there will not be
8.6 percent Black, the discrepancy
substantial gains.
between the models offered by the
As shown in Figure 1, only 11
teachers and the cultures of the students
percent of the teacher candidates in 1990
is clear. That this gap is expected to grow
were Latino and 5 percent were Black.
foreseeable
even further throughout the
When this statistic is compai ed to
future is a matter for concern.
tilt:1990 data for K through 12 student
I CREATING A PIPELINE OF POSSIBLE TEACHER CANDIDATES
Teacher candidates
TABLE 2
in California must
SELECTED UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS SY ETHNICtTY
complete a program of
FOR BACHELORW DEGREE PROGRAMS
AT ALL CALIFORNIA'S COLLEGES
studies in the disciptine
JULY 1, 1991-JUNE 30, 1992'
in which they will 'each.
PERCENTAGES OF DEGREE-EARNING STUDENTS
Data on degree majors
Latino Black Asian Natiye
White
provide an indication of
American
BA Majors
22
66
3
Mathematics
9
1
the pools from which
32
57
8
3
Life Sciences
1
future teachers can be
0
19
Physical Sciences 73
5 2
drawn. Table 2 presents
80
9
3
7
English
1
data for majors in the
12
12
70
Social Studies
5
1
5
12
79
Liberal Studies
teaching areas of
3
1
mathematics, biological
of Asian college graduates appears to be
English,
social
sciences, physical sciences,
a promising resource for the teaching
studies, and liberal studies.
profession. However, without vigorous
The low percentages of Latino,
recruitment, few from the pool of gradu-
Black, and Native American graduates in
ates in science and mathematics will
the majors restrict the numbers of under-
enter the teaching profession.
represented students able to enter
teacher preparation programs. The pool
A SERIES OF HEMORRHAGES: DROP-OUT PROBLEMS
reasons for college level drop-out, The
A1991 study by the National Colle-
College Board examined subjects taken
giate Athletic Association of the
by college entrants while they were
graduation rates of under-represented
students in high school, The Board's
students at Division I colleges nationwide
study' determined that students who take
found their rate of degree completion
high school geometry are twice as likely
was poor. The degree completion rates
to attend college as those who do not.
for students who gained entry to college
More than 80 percent of the Black
as freshmen in1985-86 are shown in
students who took geometry attended
Table 3."
college within four years of high school
TABLE 3
graduation; the rate was 82 percent for
NATIONWIDE COMPLETION RATES
Hispanic students who took geometry,
DIVISION I COLLEGES
and 83 percent for White students who
% Who Completed
Students
took this course. The gap between the
61
Asian
56
college attendance rates of minorities
White
41
Latino
and Whites virtually disappears among
33
Black
students who took geometry.
Native American
31
Further studies are needed to
discover why so few under-represented
Students from under-represented
students take college entry courses such
groups, except Asians, are less successful
as geometry. There are indications that
in their college studies than arc students
this situation exists for two reasons. First,
from the majority group. In seeking
9
The teaching profession cannot
under-represented students report that
become substantially more diverse while
schools advise them to take non-college
these drop-out rates prevail among
entry courses. Second, many under-
students from under-represented groups.
represented students have not succeeded
Only long-term strategies can provide
in their earlier years in the courses that
lasting solutions to the lack of diversity in
lead to college entry. These two factors
the teaching profession. Many promising
lead to more general questions of why
teachers could have come from the ranks
the high school drop-out rates of stu-
of students from under-represented
dents from under-represented groups are
groups who drop out of school early or
considerably higher than majority group
who take "soft option" courses.
students. Nearly 12 percent of the
nation's Latinos, for example, do not
complete the fifth grade, and almost half
do not finish high school.'°
a
a
a
COLLEGE PROGRAMS
Several of the Teacher Diversity
uccessful programs provide support
Programs at California State University
fot students over a number of years.
campuses offer such services although
This support needs to include the factors
the number of enrolled students is small
shown in Table 4.
when compared to the needs of the state.
TABLE 4
However, the number of students from
SUCCESSFUL TEACHER PREPARATION
under-represented groups who are
PROGRAMS
preparing to enter teacher preparation
KEY SUPPORT FACTORS
programs has recently increased on a
FINANCIAL SUPPORT for the journey through
number of campuses. CSU campuses at
California's community colleges, four-
Bakersfield, Hayward, and Sonoma, in
year degrees and fifth year teacher
particular, report increases.
preparation program;
CSUBattersfield reports that 200
PERSONAL SUPPORT AND COUNSELING for students
with few models of college graduates to
students from nine local high schools
follow;
have participated in the "I Teach Pro-
VE PROGRAMS TO RECRUIT mature
ALTERN
gram" and that 85 percent of these
candidates into the profession, often
students are from under-reprewnted
involving a career change; and
groups.
FUTURE EDUCATOR CLUBS to provide early
intervention programs in high schools.
CSUHayward reports enrollment
These clubs serve to counsel students
of 376 participants in its Urban Teacher
into college entry courses, help their
Academy with 65 percent from under-
transition into college, end provide early
represented groups. Students receive
tutoring and teaching experiences to
help students decide if they are suited
support through programs offered at all
to teaching.
stages, from middle schools through
111