TFA Math and Science Teachers are Dropping like Flies

By my calculations, about 51% of Teach For America (TFA) corps members from my cohort were still involved in education and 23% were still in the classroom. But the spread is uneven in their credential type. Depending on the credential type, there are significant differences in how TFA teachers stay involved or stay in the classroom.

Before you read the chart, you should know one thing about credentials: elementary teachers carry a “multiple subjects” credential that allows them to teach all subjects – but in some circumstances they can also teach in middle or high schools. The vast majority of TFA corps members in 2008 who had multiple subject credentials were, in fact, not teaching elementary school. About 70% of corps members that year with multiple subject credentials were teaching middle or high school. 

Eight years after my ’08 cohort began, Pre-K teachers and Social Studies teachers were far and away the most likely to have a job involved in education (86%). On the other end of the spectrum, Math and Science teachers were very unlikely to be involved in education. This pattern extended into people who remained in the classroom.

Again, Pre-K and Social Studies teachers were most likely to be in the classroom (43%). But Math and Science were the least likely to be teaching in the classroom, just as they were least likely to be involved in education. Why? The answer is kind of obvious if you think about it…

48% of the Science teachers are now doctors . 50% of math teachers are working outside of the classroom doing things involving math – actuaries, financial planning, etc. TFA is choosing top level math and science graduates that are coming out of top level universities; many of them have strong skills that provide them other options and other callings.

So TFA is recruiting and training math and science teachers, but they don’t stick around – is this a bad thing? I’ll give you both sides of the argument:

On the one hand, many consider math and science to be the most important subjects for future success – and shouldn’t they be given that education by the doctors, academics and mathematicians that will soon be the preeminent names in their field? These teachers are so skilled in their subject – Isn’t that who you want teaching your children?

On the opposition’s side, many consider math and science to be the most important subjects for future success – and when you have a revolving door of teachers, schools cannot establish their programs. In addition, sometimes people who are very good at what they do, do not understand why other people can’t understand. 

Either way, I think it is interesting that there are differences in who stays involved. I wonder if TFA recognizes this discrepancy and what they are doing to ameliorate it. Kids need great teachers – and if we can get excellent scientists and mathematicians to learn to be great teachers AND stick around, then TFA would have a much more powerful impact in Los Angeles.