According to a recent report, the math and science scores for U.S. fourth- through eighth-graders improved between 2008 and 2015, but they continue to lag behind high-performing nations such as Singapore, Finland, Russia, and China. While addressing mediocre student performance—particularly in the STEM fields—was a key focus of the Obama administration, it seems unlikely that the Trump administration will provide the same level of federal support.
This punctuates the continued need to recruit well-prepared math and science teachers for P-12 schools in the United States. To improve STEM education, the effort to recruit and retain STEM teachers must likely shift more toward state and local levels.
Despite declining enrollments, colleges of education have an important role to play in the supply of teachers into the field. Yet, according to Eduventures’ most recent survey of prospective students, these programs are likely to continue experiencing difficulty recruiting STEM educators without concentrated marketing efforts to students who have traditionally shied away from colleges of education.
The Eduventures’ 2016 Prospective Student Survey reveals clear distinctions between two groups of traditional-aged prospective students who might become teachers:
* denotes STEM field or health profession
- Those who intend to major in education as undergraduates
- Those who are interested in becoming teachers but do not intend to major in education as undergraduates
| WHAT ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN STUDYING IN COLLEGE? | FUTURE TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Health Professions and Related Programs* | 14% |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences* | 10% |
| Psychology | 10% |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services | 7% |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 6% |
| English Language and Literature/Letters | 4% |
| History | 4% |
| Engineering* | 4% |
| Mathematics and Statistics* | 3% |
| Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 3% |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs | 3% |
| Criminal Justice | 2% |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 2% |
| Physical Sciences* | 2% |
| Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences* | 2% |
| Social Service Professions | 1% |
| Legal Professions and Studies | 1% |
| Social Sciences | 1% |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services* | 1% |
