MATH AND SCIENCE EDUCATION AND THE MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHER SHORTAGE

Twenty-five years after Sputnik, this nation is once again taking stock of its competitive position economically and scientifically, and of the human capital resources that make competition possible. Our technological competence, the condition of the nation's infras­tructure, the state of the economy and of the nation's defense--all are behind a new recognition that quality math and science education are important.

At the same time, few are willing to predict what job-specific math and science skills, or any other skills for that matter, will be most salable on the labor market. The prediction that many will change jobs periodically, together with the uncertainty about the labor market, has led many--including leaders in the business community--to call for more math and science education for all students.

Given this context, the American Federation of Teachers has come to the conclusion that current treatments of the math and science problem are too narrow. We caution against:

• Focusing only on the secondary school level to the neglect of the elementary schools.

• Concentrating on pre-college students while ignoring general and vocational students.

• Thinking that math and science education are a matter of concern only for high technology industries.

In coming up with broad solutions, we are concerned that student test scores are down in these subjects; that curriculum requirements are minimal and do not compare well with this nation's economic competitors; that students fall away from math and science as soon as course requirements permit; and that severe teacher shortages are emerging in both subjects in all but a handful of our states. We are also particularly distressed that there is a general ignorance and deem phases on the importance of the early grades to solid footing in math and science. We must point out that many of the problems mentioned here are part of a general softening of standards of excellence in society at large.

Paralleling this broader context is a problem of special importance to us: a severe shortage in the math and science teaching force. The paramount cause, of course, is the pitifully inadequate level of teacher salaries, especially at the entry level. Higher compensation is drawing qualified teachers and prospective teacher candidates into private industry. The low status given to teaching, the conditions of work, the insecurity of a teaching career given budget problems, the difficulty of dealing with unmotivated students--all act as further disincentives. In addition, the available numbers of quali­fied women and minorities that have historically been drawn into teaching are now going elsewhere. The result is:

• Large numbers of teachers of mathematics and science courses who are teaching out of their areas of certification.

• Lack of sufficient students electing college programs in mathematics and the sciences with the aim of entering the teaching profession.

New and appropriate pressures to upgrade curriculum requirements will intensify an already serious shortage situation.

Our recommendations fall into two categories: those that address the curriculum and those that deal with the teacher shortage.

I. A Sound Math and Science Education

One point must be made immediately and strongly. While many are advocating the tightening of math and science curricular standards, few are focusing on the elementary years. Because of the importance of these years to intellectual development and because of the need for students to get sound grounding in these subjects early, the AFT urges school officials at all levels to put added resources, teaching expertise and emphasis on math and science education in elementary schools. In addition, we propose:

• The strengthening of curriculum requirements at all levels. Science and math literacy must be required of all students, not just those preparing for college. We believe that all should have math from grades one through twelve and at least three years of secondary science.

• The careful evaluation of instructional programs, texts and materials, especially given the intense pressures to provide computer education.

• The provision of additional counseling for both secondary and elementary students. Counseling should deal with the in-school aspects of students' work in math and science, not just their career or pre-college dimensions. Measures must include outreach to parents to convince them of the value of these subjects.

• The creation of special programs in math and science for highly motivated students, including at the elementary level.

• Provision for laboratory experience as an essential part of science instruction.

• Care to insure that computers and other expensive hard and software are equitably distributed to rich and poor districts, to elementary as well as secondary schools.

• Programs to help students with their homework in mathematics and science areas. Here is where, perhaps, some form of industry cooperation and use of skilled math and science industry personnel could be helpful.

• The upgrading of college and university admission standards in math and science.

II. A Qualified Math and Science Teaching Force

The first and most immediate problem to solve is the teacher shortage. For this we recommend a retraining program to increase the supply of certified math and science teachers. We also see a pressing need for a comprehensive program to recruit new math and science teacher candidates.

Apart from the shortage we see inservice upgrading of those already certified as a third important issue. We propose:

1. Inservice opportunities for teachers on the job, both those already certified or licensed and those seeking new qualifications in science and math. These should also be available to laid-off teachers or those facing layoffs who possess some mathematics and science background and/or aptitude.

• Special NDEA-type summer institutes.

• Inservice teacher support centers where teacher specialists could assist others.

2. Comprehensive strategies to recruit new teachers, including:

• Informing secondary school, college-bound, academic students of abundant and growing teaching opportunities that exist for mathematics certified and science certified teachers, for elementary school teachers who have mathematics and science organizations, as well teachers in any other shortage areas. This could also be done, where it makes sense to do so, for students already in college who have some mathematics or science background and interest.

• Recruitment programs that highlight federally financed college scholarships for such prospective college students, with a required agreement that the student teach math or science at the elementary or secondary school level for a specified minimum number of years immediately upon his/her graduation from college.

• College loan programs, where the loan repayment is eliminated if the recipient completes the college program and teaches for five years or some other number of years, should be set up at once and brought to the attention of students preparing to enter colleges and universities. The certifications that would qualify would have to be specifically limited and the subsequent teaching would have to be at the elementary or secondary school levels:

Mathematics/teaching certification; sciences/teaching certification (chemistry, physics, general science, earth and space science, possibly bi­ology and others); elementary/teachers certification, with the certification including a specific emphasis on mathematics and sciences.

• Procedures to attract mathematics and science certified teachers who come out of college into taking teaching jobs rather than industry jobs--extra month's work, college loan forgiveness, summer fellowship assurances, financing for acquisition of advanced degrees, assured summer work in industry and other approaches.

• Attempts to attract other mathematics and science degree candidates who are currently in colleges and universities to enter teaching--college loan forgiveness, special certification provisions, assistance with graduate degree costs in exchange for commitment to teach for a period of years at the elementary or secondary school levels, and other approaches.

• Recruitment of individuals from the private sector who have math and science backgrounds and who would be willing to meet certification and licensure qualifications, including the use of salary schedule placement which would allow salary experience credit for those coming into teaching from the private sector.

• Special measures aimed at elementary school teachers. At the elementary level, there is a need to upgrade teachers in math and science skills, as well as to consider their use as subject matter specialists.

3. Programs to retain current mathematics and science teachers so that they do not defect to industry are also needed:

• Summer work opportunities or summer work in subject-related industries at which teachers would either be paid by private industry or subsidized by school systems.

• Salary opportunities for working with new teachers in mathematics and science and for working with elementary teachers.

• A review of the content and quality of programs in teacher education schools and the manner in which they are accredited.

• Adequate staffing by professional laboratory technicians, specialists, and other appropriate school-related personnel, to facilitate science instruction by providing teachers with necessary technical support.

• The implementation of special recognition programs that point to outstanding teachers.

• Use of examinations to test prospective teachers on their grounding in subject matter at each stage of the teacher training process: before acceptance in teacher training institutions, at the end of their college careers, as a condition of initial certification or licensure, and as part of retraining for certification in a new field. (The AFT adamantly opposes recertification requirements for teachers in a field in which they already qualify.)

III. Measures Opposed by the AFT

There are some proposals being considered with which the American Federation of Teachers must take issue. Not every idea is a good one for teachers, for students, or for schools. We will oppose measures like the following:

• Use of non-certified people teaching math and science, whether they come from the private sector or from existing school systems. In our view, teaching is a profession that requires expertise in both the content and the process of teaching and learning.

• The American Federation of Teachers does not believe that bonuses or salary differentials offer an appropriate solution to either the teacher recruitment or teacher retention problem, because: no differentials currently being discussed come close to meeting the wide disparities between teacher salaries and those offered in the private sector; salary differentials are divisive within the total teacher ranks; and differential schemes now being proposed often combine pay increments with merit pay schemes.

• The indiscriminate dumping of computer equipment on school systems that are not yet prepared to evaluate their worth.

• Any lengthening of the teacher day or year without proportionate compensation as agreed to by unions in collective bargaining agreements.

• Government assistance to support expansion of remedial math and science education programs in the private sector that should be more appropriately done by the public schools.

In developing its position, the AFT would like to make special note of the need to make alliances with those in the business community who recognize the importance of this problem. To this end, the AFT is urging its affiliates to take its positions to business at every level, discuss them, and attempt to work out common positions. It is time for educators to help business re-evaluate its vested interest in public education and recognize that both economic growth and individual job productivity depend on it. (Executive Council)