The purpose of this study was to evaluate music teacher professional development (PD) practice and policy in the United States between 1993 and 2012. Using data from the nationally representative Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) spanning these 20 years, I examined music teacher PD participation by topic, intensity, relevance, and format; music…

The growth of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the K-12 education system has sparked discussions regarding STEM teachers' ability to meet the needs of these learners. STEM teachers have reported that they do not feel prepared and often lack professional development opportunities to develop the necessary skills to meet these needs. (August &…

Purpose: This study described professional development (PD) among public school physical education (PE) teachers and compared PE teachers to teachers of other subjects. Method: Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of public school teachers in the United States. Descriptive statistics were used to describe teachers' support…

This study uses a national sample of middle and high mathematics teachers from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) to predict the usefulness of professional development on mathematics reading instruction. We found that teacher collaboration is significantly related to teachers' perception of useful professional development on mathematics…

This article discusses the professional development needs of beginning physical education teachers based on data extracted from the 2011-2012 Schools and Staffing Survey. The authors identified ways to enhance professional development in a manner that addresses the specific needs of both newly hired and veteran physical education teachers. They…

The purpose of this study was to compare differences in the quality of professional development between U.S. music educators and teachers of other disciplines. Data were drawn from the 2011-2012 Schools and Staffing Survey. Factors such as types of professional development, quantity of activities, and levels of satisfaction were analyzed through a…

In the United States, the population of students classified as English Language Learners (ELLs) in K-12 education has increased in recent decades. As a result, teachers outside of specialized linguistic courses have needed to adapt their instruction to better meet the needs of these students. This exploratory study investigates potential…

Background: Professional development offerings assist K-12 educators in addressing new and evolving classroom dynamics, circumstances, and situations. With the emerging demands of an increasingly science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-infused society, teachers are challenged to provide high-quality service and equitable…

This research review analyzes studies on the recruitment and retention of teachers of color in order to examine the current state of teachers of color in the workforce; understand the factors that affect their recruitment, hiring, and retention; and highlight opportunities for policymakers to grow a stable workforce of teachers of color in their…

This Statistics in Brief provides a snapshot of the state of teacher professional development activities among U.S. public school teachers using data collected through the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) Public School Teacher Questionnaire. This report relies on data provided by public school teachers about their professional…

How do secondary STEM teachers perceive the environments in which they teach? To what degree is STEM teaching at the secondary level situated in a gendered workplace organization? Using data from the 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey, we examined how men and women who were full-time secondary school teachers in STEM fields (N = 5,617)…

This study investigated public school principals' reports of professional development implementation at the school level while working in different state- and local-level contexts (state accountability level, geographic locations, socioeconomic status, demographics, and grade levels). I attempted to measure principals' reported changes in levels…

This report uses data drawn from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS:12), administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education, to present an in-depth look at the career and technical education (CTE) teaching profession today. The purpose of this report is to provide policymakers and…

Teachers are essential to the success of all students. In an effort to reduce high teacher turnover, states and/or school systems are implementing induction/mentoring programs as a mechanism for supporting teachers in their early years. The issue is not the availability of teachers; higher education is producing more than enough qualified…

Over the past few years, there has been an ever-growing chorus of those who grumble that teachers are unhappy with their lack of control and freedom and have grown to deeply dislike their jobs. This article asks if teachers really lack autonomy and freedom, and wonders if as a nation, whether or not we have reached the right balance of…