Teacher Preparation and Professional Development: 2000. E.D. Tabs.

In 2000, researchers conducted surveys on teacher preparation and qualifications, measuring change since 1998. Respondents were 5,253 K-12 teachers nationwide. The survey repeated some indicators of teacher quality examined in 1998 and explored new issues. Virtually all teachers held bachelor's degrees, and nearly half held master's degrees. Teachers were more likely to have participated in professional development emphasizing state or district curriculum and performance standards. For all but one content area of professional development, teachers reported having spent 1-8 hours on the activity during the preceding 12 months. Number of hours spent in professional development related to extent to which teachers believed that participation improved their teaching. Collaboration with other teachers was the most frequent collaborative activity. Over 60 percent of teachers felt very well prepared to meet the overall demands of teaching. They most often reported feeling very well prepared to maintain order and discipline in the classroom. The proportion of teachers participating in professional development was lower in 2000 than 1998 for three of seven content areas. For most classroom activities, teachers in 2000 were more likely than teachers in 1998 to report feeling very well prepared. Appended are research methodology, technical notes, and the survey instrument. (SM)