An American Imperative: Transforming the Recruitment, Retention, and Renewal of Our Nation's Mathematics and Science Teaching Workforce

American students today have limited interest in studying mathematics and science, and academic achievement in these two foundational disciplines is demonstrably low. This reality poses an acute challenge to our ability to keep American society intellectually vibrant and to ensure that our economy is globally competitive. This Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) report urges that achievement for all students in mathematics and science and attraction of more individuals into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers be viewed as a national imperative, and acknowledges that accomplishing such goals will require transformational change in the nation's educational system, in particular, our mathematics and science teaching workforce. Two issues are identified as fundamental: (1) Quality of the teaching workforce; and (2) Growing shortfall of teachers. The report provides an action plan to address these issues and ensure that every child has a teacher with the content expertise, pedagogical mastery, and professional support necessary to develop the skills needed to succeed in a dynamic global economy and society. This plan focuses on transforming three key components that contribute to a robust, world-class teaching workforce: (1) Recruitment, including teacher enlistment strategies, preparation programs, and licensure; (2) Retention, encompassing strategies and programs to keep new teachers in the classroom and retain experienced teachers; and (3) Renewal, focusing on teacher professional development, license renewal, and assessment of teacher quality/student outcomes. BHEF advocates that business and university leaders, in concert with partner stakeholders, collectively work to create and sustain a mathematics and science teaching workforce of the highest possible quality, synchronizing response from both national and local levels, and starting with four coordinated actions: (1) Establish a national consortium among key stakeholders that would elevate the status of the teaching profession and promote teacher recruitment, retention, and renewal; (2) Advocate for new and expanded federal policies that address teacher recruitment, retention, and renewal, including key provisions in the Higher Education Act, the No Child Left Behind Act, and National Science Foundation appropriations; (3) Encourage each state to conduct a thorough and detailed assessment of teacher recruitment, retention, and renewal to guide state policy; and (4) Participate in and expand state and regional P-16 education councils to include a stronger focus on teacher recruitment, retention, and renewal, and on coordinating reform efforts among stakeholders. Suggested stakeholder roles for the Federal Government, State Governments, School Districts, Higher Education, and Business/Foundations are appended. (Contains 87 endnotes.)