EMERGING TRENDS AND RECRUITMENT INITIATIVES OF
THE STEM TEACHING WORKFORCE:
AN ANALYSIS OF TEACHER QUALITY, MOTIVATORS OF ENTRY, AND GENDER EFFECTS
Andrea Dykyj, Alicia Haelen,
and Victoria Hess
Education and Social Policy Capstone
Motivation
Potential Growth in Quality Over Time
Conceptual Framework
Dependent Variable: K-12 STEM teacher
Expansion of Science,
Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics (STEM)
occupations in the U.S.
We aim to identify the effects of degree type and level
along with individual attributes and motivation as they
relate to policy characteristics over time and gender on
the odds of trained scientists and engineers entering the
K-12 teaching profession as STEM teachers
The need to prepare
students for STEM labor
force
Time of
Degree
Attainment
Gender
K-12 STEM
Teaching
Increase in demand for
highly qualified STEM
teachers
STEM Major
I
II
III
IV
0.6624***
0.7283***
0.7492***
0.8275***
(0.032)
(0.038)
(0.037)
(0.068)
0.3790***
0.3044***
0.4153***
(0.034)
(0.038)
(0.076)
Master’s Degree
STEM Major ×
Master’s Degree
1950s
Motivation
1983 - A Nation at Risk created a focus on the lack of
US student preparedness in math and science.
Criticizes lack of student standards
2002 - No Child Left Behind focused on recruiting
“highly qualified teachers” to eliminate
achievement gaps
-2.0896**
(0.500)
(1.021)
-0.7196***
-0.6269***
(0.129)
(0.211)
1970s
-0.3900***
(0.088)
-0.1373
(0.129)
1980s
-0.3400***
(0.062)
-0.0820
(0.108)
1990s
-0.2126***
-0.0512
(0.044)
(0.085)
Empirical Framework
All models control for survey year effects; models II, III, and IV control for
individual demographics; probability weights applied;
standard errors in parentheses; *** p<0.01, ** p<0.05, * p<0.1
y
logit(yit )  log(1ity ) = ˆ0 + ˆ1 (STEM_majo rit) + i +  it
it
yit
log(1y
it
) is the log oddsof degree holder i having been
a STEM teacher at timet
ˆ1 is the estimated effect of STEM_major on the log oddsof yit
ˆ)
(

e 1 is the oddsof becominga STEM teacher, given i
majored ina STEM field
2009 - The Educate to Innovate Initiative campaign
includes concerted efforts by Federal
Government, corporations, foundations, and
non profits
i represents combinedeffect of timeinvariant covariates
it represents error ~ bin(n,p,q)
2011 - 100kin10 aims to dramatically increase the
quantity and quality of STEM teachers
(0.067)
-1.4988***
1960s
Degree Level
and Major
0.1022
Decade of Degree (2000s omitted as reference)
Practical significance of STEM teacher quality
Odds Against Becoming a STEM Teacher
Dependent Variable: K-12 STEM teacher
STEM Major
0.7642***
(0.069)
Master’s Degree
0.3006***
(0.076)
STEM Major × Master’s Degree
0.1561**
(0.067)
Steady Workforce Composition of STEM Majors
Most important reason job is not related to degree
(“Other” omitted as reference)
Pay, promotion opportunities
-0.7713***
Research Hypotheses
1) The increase in STEM education initiatives influenced the
composition of the k-12 STEM teaching workforce to include
more content-knowledgeable and credentialed professionals
over time.
-0.8939***
(0.189)
Location
-1.4002***
(0.163)
Change in career
-0.6165***
(0.103)
2) Reasons for entering k-12 STEM teaching differ from
reasons for entering another profession.
Family-related
-1.4210***
(0.134)
Job in major field not available
3) Reasons for entering the k-12 STEM teaching profession
differ by gender in systematic ways that can be mitigated by
targeted policies.
-0.8691***
(0.084)
Odds For and Against Males Becoming STEM Teachers
Dependent Variable: K-12 STEM teacher
STEM Major
0.7648***
(0.069)
Master’s Degree
0.2991***
(0.076)
STEM Major × Master’s Degree
0.1550**
(0.067)
Gender Interactions
STEM major × male
Sample and Measures
 Pay or promotion
opportunities
 Working conditions
 Job location
 Change in career or
professional interests
 Family-related reasons
 Job in one’s highest degree
field was not available
STEM Teaching Workforce Characteristics
2
By Degree Year
n=8
62
186
552
1,165
1,535
1,623
1,907
2,185
2,736
2,006
1,557
1,913
1.5
Master’s Degree × male
95.7% 94.3%
94.1% 96% 94.2%
83.7 86.3% 87.2% 88.3% 89.6% 89.9% 92.3%
Has Children × male
60.6%
1
Pay × male
Working conditions × male
.5
Influential Factors of Career
Change
Changing Composition of
STEM Teacher Characteristics
85.7%
33.3%
69.1% 71.5% 63.8%
58.2% 63.1% 60.7% 62.7% 60.9% 50.9% 51.6% 62%
0
Relevant Confounders
 Decade highest degree was
received
 Gender
 Having children
 Race/ethnicity
 Age
Percent
Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT)
‒ Sponsored by the National Science Foundation
‒ Nationally represented data of trained and/or employed in
science, engineering or health or related fields
Sample characteristics:
‒ Bachelor’s and Master’s degree recipients from a postsecondary
institution within the United States
‒ Employed in any sector of the workforce; earned highest degree
in any field
‒ 222,274 graduate-year observations; 17,434 STEM teachers
 Degree Major of Highest Degree
(STEM/Non-STEM)
 Degree Level of Highest Degree
(Bachelor’s/Master’s)
Steady growth in the STEM teaching workforce
‒ Increasing number of credentialed and contentknowledgeable individuals (as measured in SESTAT)
Determinants of career change more predictive of not
entering STEM teaching
‒ Measures more representative of reasons for entering
other profession(s), both STEM and non-STEM
‒ Reasons for entering STEM teaching not measured
Male career changers more likely to enter STEM
teaching for broader professional reasons
‒ Highly qualified males identified as the least likely to
become STEM teachers
‒ Males become STEM teachers because of working
conditions, personal circumstance, and if no other
suitable job is available
Implications for Future Policy &
Recruitment Efforts
Increased opportunities for promotion and leadership
roles
‒ Intradepartmental team leadership, coaching roles
‒ Would also address issues of pay and working
conditions
Provide professional support systems (beyond schools)
‒ Professional development, additional resources,
mentorship, etc.
(0.084)
Working conditions
Quality Indicators
Discussion of Findings
1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2001 2005 2006
Male
Job related to degree
Female
Job not related to degree
Location × male
Change in career × male
Family-related × male
Job not available × male
-0.1969***
(0.063)
0.2034
(0.162)
0.7480**
(0.326)
0.5356
(0.369)
0.3978**
(0.185)
0.7831***
(0.271)
0.6750***
(0.173)
1.3922***
(0.067)
0.4374***
(0.078)
0.1973***
(0.067)
-1.2026***
(0.068)
-0.3480***
(0.070)
-0.2001***
(0.064)
-0.0118
(0.164)
0.6292*
(0.324)
0.4752
(0.372)
0.2598
(0.187)
0.7366***
(0.272)
0.6698***
(0.175)
Next Steps
Examine dynamics of prior occupations among careerchangers
Further research on the odds of becoming STEM teachers
across STEM disciplines
Explore state-, district-, and teacher-level data to identify
the impact of state and local policy on the STEM teacher
labor force
Research on retention rates among contentknowledgeable and credentialed STEM teachers
Thank you!
Professor Meryle Weinstein for your guidance and support
on this project
EDSP faculty for being invaluable resources throughout
the course of the program
Our families, friends, and loved ones for their patience
and understanding during this endeavor