Teacher Staffing in the School District of Philadelphia: A Report to the Community.

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13

Public Education Network, Washington, DC.

Elementary Secondary Education; Low Income Groups; Middle School Teachers; Poverty; Principals; Secondary School Teachers; Teacher Administrator Relationship; Teacher Certification; Teacher Persistence; Teacher Salaries; Teacher Shortage; Teachers; Teaching Conditions; Urban Schools

This report examines the serious and worsening problems of teacher staffing in the Philadelphia School District. Staff turnovers are high, teaching applications are down, and reliance on emergency certified teachers is up. Barriers to attracting and keeping good teachers include low salaries, more stringent state certification requirements, and intense national competition for new teacher graduates. High schools are experiencing higher teacher turnover rates than before, and the proportion of uncertified high school teachers is rising. Shortages of certified high school teachers vary by subject area. Deteriorating staffing patterns hurt low-income students the most. Middle schools have the most serious teacher staffing problem. The percentage of uncertified middle school teachers has grown significantly, particularly at high poverty schools. Philadelphia's teacher residency policy is a barrier to the recruitment and retention of teachers, as it requires newly hired teachers to move into the city within three years. Teachers are more likely to stay in schools that have active principals with strong interpersonal and organizational skills and a management style that is respectful of teachers' skills and personal lives. The district has taken many steps to improve conditions, some of which are an aggressive teacher recruitment campaign, various bonuses, and an enhanced compensation system for more rapid salary advancement. (SM)

2001

ED454352