Boosting Minority Teacher Recruitment and Retention for a Diverse Future STEM Workforce

The United States STEM workforce has yet to reflect the demographics of the larger population. This discrepancy begins at the base of the STEM pipeline with a significant lack of minority STEM K-12 teachers to serve as mentors and role models to minority students. Research has shown that minority students’ exposure to same-race teachers increased academic output and education attainment up to 32%. Unfortunately, minority teachers face a revolving-door effect: the cycle of increased recruitment countered by a high turnover amongst minority teachers compared to their white counterparts. Minority teachers who leave the profession consistently cite negative teaching environments, discrimination, and lack of support as the main drivers of their decision to quit teaching. The Maryland state legislature recently passed the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Act, which attempts to address teacher recruitment and retention more comprehensively. Here, we go beyond the Blueprint’s baseline tools to recommend targeted strategies to recruit and retain minority STEM K-12 teachers in Maryland. Through the creation of a robust peer mentorship pipeline between new and experienced teachers, prioritization of school staff diversity and inclusion training, and the promotion of teacher autonomy, we will increase minority student education attainment and encourage the growth of a diverse STEM workforce in Maryland.

An Assessment of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church Teacher Recruitment Process on the Achievement of the Church’s goals. A Study of Adventist Schools in Bulawayo

This paper aimed at unearthing practices driven by the Adventist-Teacher recruitment process in order to determine achievement of the organization’s goals. The study was conducted in Adventist Schools in Bulawayo. The schools have a population of about 218 teachers. The study followed a mixed method of research, where quantitative-descriptive statistics were used to discuss findings. A sample of 106 teachers was chosen using the stratified sampling to respond to a self-administered questionnaire. Simple random was used to choose teachers from within each stratum among the three Secondary and Five Primary Schools. In the schools selected, the teachers’ list was used, and either odd numbers or even numbers were used as respondents. Through purposive sampling, three Secondary and five Primary School heads were chosen to respond to interview questions indicated in this study. It is important to note that teachers and school heads did not agree on issues regarding induction and mentoring. Primary data was collected and analyzed using SPSS. Tables and graphs were used in the presentation and discussion of findings. The study established the link between the Recruitment process- which aims at the integration of faith and learning- and Redemptive practices to be positive at Pearson’s r 0,696. The interaction of the Recruitment process and the cutting-edge practices recorded a Pearson’s r of 0,589. The recruitment process appeared to be operating below the ideal standard. The study revealed a poor teacher induction and mentoring process in the schools studied.