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Diagnosing the current state of out-of-field teaching in high school science and mathematics

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  • Lisa Shah
  • Cooper Jannuzzo
  • Taufiq Hassan
  • Bogdan Gadidov
  • Herman E Ray
  • Gregory T Rushton

Abstract

The U.S. government has acknowledged the critical role that teachers play in the production of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professionals who will drive our nation’s economy. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was passed to improve the quality of education nationwide, in part, by decreasing the number of out-of-field (OOF) teachers. However, the impact of NCLB and related efforts on the current state of OOF teaching in high school science and mathematics has yet to be examined. Our analysis of data from the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) indicates that from 2003–2016, the proportion of OOF teachers in chemistry and physics has increased, and there has been an increase in the number of students assigned to OOF teachers across subjects. We discuss the societal impact of our results and the critical role that policymakers, school administrators, and academic institutions, particularly university faculty, can play in its solution.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa Shah & Cooper Jannuzzo & Taufiq Hassan & Bogdan Gadidov & Herman E Ray & Gregory T Rushton, 2019. "Diagnosing the current state of out-of-field teaching in high school science and mathematics," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(9), pages 1-12, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0223186
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223186
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Donald Boyd & Hamilton Lankford & Susanna Loeb & James Wyckoff, 2005. "Explaining the Short Careers of High-Achieving Teachers in Schools with Low-Performing Students," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(2), pages 166-171, May.
    2. Monk, David H., 1994. "Subject area preparation of secondary mathematics and science teachers and student achievement," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 125-145, June.
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    1. Shah, Chandra & Watt, Helen M. G. & Richardson, Paul W., 2024. "Out-of-field teaching and instructional practices in Years 7-10 mathematics classes in Australia: evidence from TALIS 2018," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1520, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

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