Public criticism of the quality of teaching in the schools has put pressure on teacher education programs to improve curriculum. The problem of quality instruction, however, may rest to a large extent with administrators who assign teachers inappropriately in the schools and with state education agencies that sanction the practice. One estimate is…

This digest examines the community college's role in helping to fill the current and projected shortage of public school teachers due to increases in the number of teachers retiring and students enrolling. Teacher shortages are most evident in both urban and rural school districts and in the fields of science, mathematics and technology. The…

This digest focuses on the data that show significant disparities between the number of teachers of color and the number of students of color and examines how well schools, colleges, and departments of education are doing in supplying teachers of color for U.S. classrooms. The document is organized into three sections. The first section discusses…

The need to recruit more minority teachers for urban schools is acute. Although enrollment in teacher preparation programs has increased, few of these future teachers intend to teach in urban schools where they are most needed. Ninety-five percent of prospective secondary school teachers come from suburban, rural, or small town backgrounds, and…

An annotated bibliography of 11 publications on teacher tenure and teacher dismissal focuses on the responsibility of school policymakers and administrators to establish clear employment policies and maintain teacher evaluation records. Citing numerous court decisions, Joseph Beckham examines tenure, employment qualifications, contractual…