Repairing the Illinois High
School Physics Teacher
Carl J. Wenning, PTE Coordinator, Illinois State University

Complete repair of any problem requires the following:
 recognition that a problem exists.
 correct identification of the problem source.
 appropriate action aimed at repairing the problem.
 must get at root cause for long-term solution.
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Teachers: A Growing Demand
 The US Department of Education predicts that the nation will need more than one million new teachers by 2010
 Nearly half of the current teaching force of
2.6 million will leave teaching to retire or change careers in the next decade
(NCES, 1998)
 More than 1/4 of all current teachers are over age 50 and approaching retirement.
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On a National Basis…
 The attrition rate of new teachers is approximately 10% to 50% over the first three to five years of teaching depending on type of preparation. (Darling-
Hammond, 1998; Fuller, SBEC, 2002)
 Currently there is not a general nationwide shortage of teachers in the U.S.
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Nonetheless…
 “We face shortages of people willing to work at the salaries and under the working conditions offered in specific locations - in rural and urban areas.”
(Darling-Hammond, 2001)
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Teacher Shortage Areas
 Teacher shortages do exist in a few subject areas -- special education, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and
Spanish in order of national demand
(AAEE, 2003).
 There is an adequate number of prepared and certified teachers to meet most of of the needs in other areas.
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AIP Statistics Research Center
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Enrollments in HS Physics
% of seniors who have taken physics
1948 - 2001
30
25
20
15
10
5
All Schools
Public Only
10/14/04
1948 '54 '56 '58 '60 '62 '65 '71 '72 '76 '80
Year
ISAAPT Special Session: C. Wenning
'86 '87 '90 '93
Page 8 of 33

Girls as a Percentage of Total
Enrollment in HS Physics
39%
1987
41%
1990
43%
1993
47%
1997
46%
2001
Female Enrollments in HS Physics



Increases in HS enrollments are occurring primarily in conceptual courses.
In college courses, ~20% of enrollments in engineering type courses is female.
In college courses, ~60% of enrollment in algebra-based physics courses is female.
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Percentage of Students
Taking HS Physics by Group
Asian
1990
1993
1997
2001
34%
37%
44%
47%
White
Black
1990
1993
1997
2001
1990
1993
1997
2001
Hispanic
1990
1993
1997
2001
10%
13%
16%
10%
10%
15%
24%
27%
32%
33%
22%
21%
AIP
Statistical
Research
Center
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Physics Teaching Nationally
 Only 61% of public high school physics teachers are endorsed to teach physics
 Only 27% of private/parochial high school physics teachers are endorse to teach physics.
 Only about 1/3 of all physics teachers majored in physics or physics education (Neuschatz &
McFarling, 2001)
 More than 50% of all high school physics teachers are teaching out-of-field -without a major or minor in physics (AIP, 1999)
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Science Excellence on a
National and State Basis
 82% of our nation’s 12th graders performed below the proficient level on the NAEP 2000 science test and this number has increased from
79% since 1995
 The longer students stay in the current system, the worse they do.

4th graders 2nd place; 12th graders 16th place
 PSAE results?
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PSAE Science Achievement
 According to Illinois’ PSAE 2002-2003
(ISBE, 2003):



Only 51.3% of 11th graders met or exceeded the science performance standard
38.0% of 11th graders fell below performance the science standard
10.7% of 11th graders substantially below and received “academic warning” - unable to use science knowledge effectively.
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Student Performance
 While there is no direct link between teaching performance and student success per se, careful teacher preparation and subsequent high quality teaching are very important to overall student success.
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IL Certified Physics Teachers
 Growing demand - HS enrollments expected to grow through 2007; elementary demand remains level.
 64% of Illinois public high school physics teachers are endorsed to teach physics, but this is better than the national average.
 99% teach physics half time or more.
(ISBE, 2004)
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Illinois Physics Teacher
Supply (IBHE, 2004)
 123 districts report “severe under supply”
 67 districts report “under supply”
 33 districts report “adequate supply”
 4 districts report “over supply”
 4 districts report “sever over supply”
 400 districts did not report on supply
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Physics Teacher Demand
Applying “Average Statistics”
 440 public high school physics teachers
 93% return to teaching each year (409)
 7% leave teaching (31)
 Open positions = 31 each year
 23 accredited PTE programs graduate only 8 - 12 new physics teachers annually
 Actual situation is worse than this ….
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Projected Need - Physics Job
Openings in IL (ISBE, 2004)
School
Year
Job
Openings
04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08
46 48 52 56
 Supply in relation to demand suggests that 2/3 to 3/4 of all physics openings are filled by teachers with majors other than physics!
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PTE Production Statistics
 1994 - 1995:





22 accredited PTE programs
8 programs reporting
3 institutions produced
50% grads
0.69 graduates per program average
50% had no students in the PTE major
 2004 - 2005:

23 accredited PTE programs?
QuickTi me™ and a
T IFF (Unc om pres s ed) dec om pres s or are needed to s ee t his pic t ure.
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General Nature of Leakage
High School Physics
940K
Intro at 4-yr Colleges and Universities
340K
120K
Intro Physics at 2-yr College
THEM
US
Physics Major Physics Bachelor’s
7K 4K
Data AIP Statistical
Research Center
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Sources of Teachers…
 Recruitment

“Native” students

Change-of-major students

Transfer students

2nd degree students

Alternative certification programs
 Retention in the major
 Retention in the profession
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Sources of PTE Majors -the ISU Experience
 Currently 33 PTE majors
 Based on data from 1998-2004

23% “native” students (from high schools)

46% transfer students (community colleges)

31% second-degree students (universities)
 High schools, community colleges, and universities all play an important role.
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Failure to Retain a PTE Major
Generally Speaking
 Inability or unwillingness of students
(Success=Ability*Motivation*Effort - SAME)
 Disillusionment of student with postsecondary physics teaching
 Inadequacy of physics teaching program
 Appeal of other majors
 Predatory practices by other sequences within a department
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Other Routes to Teacher Prep
 Alternative Certification
 National Programs:


Teach for America
Peace Corps


Troops to Teachers
Teacher Opportunity Corps
 Problem: 90%+ in these latter program grads will have left teaching by the end of the 3rd year.
 CF: 30% of traditionally-prepared (4-yr) teachers
 CF: 10% of 4-year courses w/ 1-year STT
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Retention in the Profession
 Retention will not be solved by addressing only pay and benefits issues.
 Teacher pay and benefits ranked third behind student attitudes and behavior, and treatment by school administrators.
(Pisciotta, 2001)
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Additional Findings
 73% of the teachers who left the profession did not participate in an induction or mentoring program.
(Piscotta, 2001)
 “They’re not adequately prepared, and they’re put into a situation completely unsupported.” (Archer, 1999)
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Sources of Retention
Problems with NYC Teachers
Teachers
Salary
Preps
Low
Novice
4-5 diverse
Students Lower socioeconomic status and minority students
Respect Lower
Support Minimal to none
Master
High
1-2 similar
Higher socioeconomic status and collegebound students
Higher
Strong network
(Darling-Hammond, 2001)
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Illinois Teacher Retention
 Largest supply of certificated IL teachers is the previous year’s work force - 93% returned in 2003
 The 2nd largest supply of IL teachers is the “first-time” teacher
 The 3rd largest supply of IL teachers is the re-entering professional.
 The 4th largest supply of IL teachers is the
State’s alternative certification program.
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Teachers for Downstate
Schools & the ISU Experience
 Teachers tend to return to their home communities to teach.
 There are very few downstate teacher candidates at ISU.
 Salaries downstate are lower: (mean salary statewide is $51,500)


Downstate ~$23,000 to start
Metropolitan Chicago ~40,000 to start
 Huge downstate need for physics teachers
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ISBE Responds to NCLB
“High Quality” Legislation
 After 2006 or 2007:

New physics, chemistry, biology teachers become “science” teachers only

Endorsements to be replaced by designations

Any designation may teach ANY course not requiring an “introductory” course.

Only designations may teach AP or second year courses within their discipline.
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“CPR” for the Illinois HS
Physics Teacher Pipeline
 Which comes first - repair or retention?
 Consider CPR - respiration or circulation first?
 Respiration without a circulation is worthless.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.
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Physics Pipeline “CPR”
Goal 1: Repairing the Pipeline
 Retention Questions:

Induction/mentoring programs?

Networking?

New teacher packets?


Improving PTE programs?
“Concentrating” PTE majors?

ISAAPT Policy Statements?

Work group recommendations?
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Physics Pipeline “CPR”
Goal 2: Turning Up the Flow
 Recruitment Questions:


Recruitment guidelines for HS teachers?
“Indentured servitude” plan for districts?

CC transfer agreements?

Grant-funded opportunities?

Loan forgiveness?

ISAAPT policy statements?

Work group recommendations?
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