Precollege Science and Mathematics Teachers

The activities of an increasingly technological society call for greater command of science and mathematics at the precollege level than at any time in the past. Yet evidence from numerous studies indicates that the majority of U.S. citizens are not being equipped with the scientific and mathematical tools needed to participate in that technological society. Some studies point to an increased demand for science and mathematics teachers as well as an inadequate supply of qualified individuals to fill those positions. In this report, statistics on supply, demand, and quality as they pertain to science and mathematics teachers were evaluated and it was concluded that the available data are inadequate. The available data and model of labor market influences were evaluated and analyzed and it was found that there is a great diversity in labor market situations and in the actions taken by applicants and school systems to balance supply and demand. Chapter titles include: (1) "Determining Teacher Demand"; (2) "Determining Supply: Individual and District Activities"; (3) "Monitoring the Supply Pool of Science and Mathematics Teachers"; (4) "Statistics Related to the Quality of Science and Mathematics Teaching"; and (5) "Data Needs and Research Opportunities." Appendices include a list of panel activities, a list of national data sets on teacher supply and demand, availability of state data, a list of acronyms, and a set of biographical sketches of panel members. A list of over 400 references is provided. (CW)