MARYLAND TEACHER STAFFING REPORT

Transcription

1 MARYLAND TEACHER STAFFING REPORT Maryland State Department of Education 200 West Baltimore Street Baltimore, MD October 2008 Website: Adopted by the Maryland State Board of Education October 28, 2008

2 MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION 200 West Baltimore Street Baltimore, Maryland James H. DeGraffenreidt, Jr., President Blair G. Ewing, Vice President Dunbar Brooks Lelia T. Allen Mary Kay Finan Rosa M. Garcia Richard L. Goodall Charlene M. Dukes Richard L. Goodall Karabelle Pizzigati Ivan C.A. Walks Kate Walsh D. Derek Wu Nancy S. Grasmick Secretary-Treasurer of the Board State Superintendent of Schools The Maryland State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, or disability in matters affecting employment or in providing access to programs. For inquiries related to departmental policy, please contact the Equity Assurance and Compliance Branch at: (410) , (410) TTY/TDD, or (410) FAX. Martin O Malley, Governor

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Appendices... ii List of Tables... iii List of Figures... iv Executive Summary... v Introduction... 1 Background... 1 Revising the Methodology for Determining Critical Shortage Areas... 4 Other Considerations... 6 Summary and Report Overview... 7 Section I: Incentives and Strategies for the Recruitment and Retention of Quality Teachers and Principals... 8 National and Federal Initiatives... 8 Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Educational Grant Program... 8 Loan Forgiveness Programs Sallie Mae Student Loan Rebate Program Good Neighbor Next Door Troops to Teachers State Initiatives Student Financial Assistance Sharon Christa McAuliffe Memorial Teacher Education Award Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grants The Distinguished Scholar Teacher Education Program Recruitment and Retention Programs Quality Teacher Incentive Act Grants Quality Teacher Work Group of Resident Teacher Certificate Transition to Teaching Grant Troops to Teachers Enhancing Mobility Grant State Tax Credits National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Retire/Rehire Program Maryland s Initiative for New Teachers (MINT) Maryland Teacher Shortage Task Force Report Summary Section II: Staffing Patterns New Hires Methodology for Determining Shortages Data Sources Statewide Projection Formula August Statewide Survey of Vacancies Number of Classes Statewide Taught by Not-Highly Qualified Teachers Procedures for Identifying Certification Areas by Extent of Staffing Need Certification Areas by Extent of Staffing Need Trend Data Teacher Experience and Attrition Summary... 52

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS, Continued Section III: Geographic Areas of Projected Shortage Background Procedures Findings for Geographic Areas of Projected Shortage Section IV: Maryland-Prepared Teacher Candidates by Certification Area and Institution Content Area Shortages Institutional Data Institutions with Largest Number of Teacher Candidates Section V: Minority and Gender Data Minority Data Minority Data for All Maryland Students and Teachers Gender Data Gender of New Hires and Teacher Candidates Gender of All Maryland Students and Teachers Summary Section VI: Non-Classroom Professionals Staffing Projections of Local School Systems for Non-Classroom Professionals Supply of Non-Classroom Professionals Non-Classroom Professionals by Extent of Staffing Need Section VII: Recommendations to the Maryland State Board of Education Recommendation Recommendation Recommendation Recommendation APPENDICES Appendix A: Education Article Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grants Appendix B: Rubric for Rating Certification Content Areas Appendix C: Quality Teacher Incentive Act Grants Appendix D: Retired/Rehire Program Appendix E: Teachers Issued a Conditional Certificate: Two-Year Comparison..88 Appendix F: Newly Hired Maryland Teachers with Conditional Certificates.. 89 Appendix G: Annual Survey of Local School System Vacancies 90 Appendix H: Classes Taught by Highly Qualified Teachers ii

5 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 New Hires by Certification Area Through October 2007 Maryland Public Schools Table 1A Number of New Hires Who Transferred From Local School System to Local School System: October Table 2 Certification Areas by Extent of Staffing Need: June Table 3 Trend Data of New Hires to Maryland Public Schools Table 4 Table 5 Table 5A Table 6 Table 7 Table 8 Table 9 Table 10 Table 11 Table 12 Newly Hired Teachers by Local School Systems Through October All Maryland Public School Teachers by Years of Experience Through October 15, Teacher Attrition: By Years of Experience Maryland Public Schools: October 16, 2006-October 15, Supply of Maryland-Prepared Candidates by Certification Area Maryland Institutions of Higher Education: Anticipated Teacher Candidates by Certification Area Maryland Institutions of Higher Education: and Newly Eligible Maryland Teacher Candidates by Institution Maryland Institutions of Higher Education: Trend Data: Minority Maryland Teacher Candidates Maryland Institutions of Higher Education: to Minority New Hires by Certification Area Maryland Public Schools: October Trend Data for Minority New Hires Maryland Public Schools: to New Hires in Certification Areas by Gender Maryland Public Schools: Through October iii

6 LIST OF TABLES, Continued Table 13 Table 14 Table 15 Table 16 Maryland Teacher Graduates in Certification Areas by Gender Maryland Institutions of Higher Education Staffing Projections of Local School Systems for Non-Classroom Professionals: Supply of Non-Classroom Professionals from Maryland Institutions of Higher Education Non-Classroom Professionals by Extent of Staffing Need June, LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Trend Data: New Hires to Maryland Public Schools Figure 2 New Hires by Local School System to Maryland Public Schools Figure 3 New Hires: Out-of-State and In-State Comparison to Maryland Public Schools Figure 4 New Hires: Experienced and Beginning Teachers and Maryland Public Schools Figure 5 Figure 6 New Hires: Beginning and Experienced Teachers, Out-of-State and In-State Prepared: Maryland Public Schools Trend Data: Teacher Education Candidates Prepared by Maryland to Maryland Institutions of Higher Education iv

7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Maryland State Department of Education s biennial Maryland Teacher Staffing Report, , provides data on teacher candidates completing programs in Maryland institutions of higher education and the hiring needs of local school systems. Critical shortage content areas are declared using an analysis of these data. Recommended by an advisory board convened following the previous report, the report uses new procedures that examine contextual factors influencing staffing in addition to traditional measures. The report includes critical shortage areas for teachers and non-classroom professionals, as well as information on higher education graduates, teacher attrition, highly qualified teachers (as defined by No Child Left Behind) and the number of retired/rehired teachers and principals. This report also outlines a number of important incentives and strategies for the recruitment and retention of quality teachers for Maryland public schools. The Maryland State Board of Education, pursuant to HB 688, Workforce Student Assistance Grants, Education Article , adopts the critical shortage teaching areas that are then used by the Maryland Higher Education Commission to offer scholarships to qualified individuals. Students in Maryland preparing to become teachers in critical shortage areas may apply for student financial assistance if they meet specific requirements of the law. This report presents four recommendations to the State Board of Education, identifying the critical shortage content areas, the geographic areas of shortage, areas of gender and diversity shortage, and non-classroom professionals in critical shortage areas. Because the report is now biennial, the following recommendations pertain to both the and school years. v

8 Recommendation 1: The Maryland State Board of Education declares the following content areas as critical shortage areas: Career and technology areas (7-12): o Technology education; Computer science (7-12); English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) (PreK-12); Foreign language areas (7-12): o Chinese, o German, o Italian, o Japanese, o Latin, and o Spanish; Mathematics (7-12); Science areas (7-12): o Chemistry, o Earth/Space science, o Physical science, and o Physics; Special education areas: o Generic: Infant/primary (birth-grade 3), o Generic: Elementary/middle school (grades 1-8), o Generic: Secondary/adult (grades 6 adult), o Hearing impaired, o Severely and profoundly disabled, and o Visually impaired. vi

9 Recommendation 2: The Maryland State Board of Education declares the following 24 Maryland jurisdictions as geographic areas of projected shortage of certified teachers: 1. Allegany County 13. Harford County 2. Anne Arundel County 14. Howard County 3. Baltimore City 15. Kent County 4. Baltimore County 16. Montgomery County 5. Calvert County 17. Prince George s County 6. Caroline County 18. Queen Anne s County 7. Carroll County 19. St. Mary s County 8. Cecil County 20. Somerset County 9. Charles County 21. Talbot County 10. Dorchester County 22. Washington County 11. Frederick County 23. Wicomico County 12. Garrett County 24. Worcester County Recommendation 3: The Maryland State Board of Education declares a shortage of teachers who are males and teachers who are members of minority groups. Recommendation 4: The Maryland State Board of Education declares a shortage of the non-classroom professional positions of library/media specialist, principal and speech/language pathologists. vii

10 INTRODUCTION Since 1986, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), in conjunction with local school systems and institutions of higher education, has conducted an annual, now biennial study to determine critical teacher shortage areas. In addition to the shortage areas, The Maryland Teacher Staffing Report provides information on the number of teacher candidates completing programs in Maryland institutions of higher education and the hiring needs of local school systems. This information addresses both the supply of new teachers available to teach in Maryland and the demand that local school systems expect in hiring. Background Legislation originally passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 1984 and revised in 2006 requires the state to declare teaching fields designated as critical shortage areas. These critical shortage areas have been used to award state grants to individuals who are preparing to teach in the shortage areas. Expanded to include other workforce areas, HB 988: Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grants was passed in 2006 to consolidate all state grants and scholarships across professions, including those to teachers (see Appendix A: Education Article ). Even as procedures and guidelines for selecting grant recipients have changed in accordance with the new law, a teacher education grant will continue to be called the Sharon Christa McAuliffe Teacher Education Award in honor of the nation s first teacher in space. MSDE uses critical shortage areas for several purposes beyond the state awards for individuals. The critical teacher shortage area designations also are used for federal 1

11 student loan repayment decisions. The United States Department of Education, through the federal Stafford and Supplemental Loans for Students Programs, allows students who teach in critical shortage areas to qualify for deferment of loan repayment and/or loan forgiveness. The shortage designation also permits students who qualify as Douglas scholars, under the federal Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program, to receive a reduction in the number of teaching obligation years. SB 663: Retirement and Pensions Reemployment of Retirees, passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2005, also uses the declared shortage areas. This law exempts certain retired teachers, principals and teacher mentors from an earnings limitation if they are reemployed as classroom teachers in one of the critical shortage areas and in qualifying schools. (Information on SB 663 is included in Section I of this report.) In 2007, Congress created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, which provides grants of up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school in a state s critical shortage areas. (Information is included in Section I of this report.) As purposes of the Maryland Teacher Staffing Report have continued to expand, so too has the content of the report. In addition to identifying critical shortage areas, the report responds to legislation and requests from the State Board of Education, MSDE personnel, and other stakeholders. Additional information now includes: geographic areas experiencing shortages; the identification of speech and language pathologists as a shortage area; recruitment and retention incentives and strategies; minority and 2

12 gender data; data disaggregated by local school system (originally, the report included only state level data); attrition data; information on highly qualified teachers by content area; and information on non-classroom professionals (guidance counselors, library/media specialists, reading specialists, school psychologists, principals, and speech/language pathologists). A major factor affecting teacher staffing, and therefore the expansion of this report, is the provision of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requiring that core academic subjects be taught by highly qualified teachers. MSDE has developed and implemented extensive procedures for collecting highly qualified teacher data in each content area by school system, by school, and by classroom. The 2006 staffing report stated that future reports would align analysis and reporting of Maryland staffing data with No Child Left Behind requirements to provide stakeholders with additional information, and to help stakeholders have a clearer understanding of teacher assignments in core academic subjects and in high-poverty schools. Another factor affecting teacher staffing patterns has been the change over time in teacher hiring. In the first two decades of this report, Maryland local school systems conducted most of their recruitment and hiring during spring and summer each year. In recent years, many school system human resource personnel reported that hiring has become more continuous and, in response, MSDE s Office of Academic Policy now interviews all human resource directors in August to learn about their staffing needs at the start of the school year. Importantly, their August data have become relevant to the examination of teacher staffing at the time this report is being prepared. 3

13 With the increased demands on this biennial staffing report as a major teacher data report, and the changing contextual factors for hiring teachers, the report (adopted in August, 2006) stated that an advisory committee composed of representative stakeholders would be convened to study past procedures and to use current contextual factors that influence staffing in order to reshape procedures for future reports. In July, 2007, the Teacher Staffing Report Advisory Committee was established, with members including a school system superintendent, school system human resource directors, a higher education representative, and representatives from the MSDE Divisions of Accountability and Assessment and Certification and Accreditation. During three committee meetings in 2007, committee members considered the purposes of the report, reviewed the methodology for identifying critical shortages areas, examined current contextual factors that have an impact on staffing patterns, and produced recommendations to refine and improve methodological procedures for identifying the shortage areas. Their final recommendations have been implemented in the preparation of this report. Revising the Methodology for Determining Critical Shortage Areas For over 20 years, critical shortage areas were determined primarily by using a projection formula that relied upon historical hiring data. Dr. Mark Moody, former Assistant State Superintendent of the Division of Planning, Results, and Information Management, now the Division of Accountability and Assessment, developed the formula at a time when hiring was concentrated in the spring and summer, and prior to the highly qualified teacher requirements of No Child Left Behind. 4

14 To assist the advisory committee in understanding the methodology used previously, Dr. Moody met with the committee and explained that the projection formula used hiring data from the previous five years to extrapolate anticipated staffing supply for the following year. Using the results, MSDE staff projected a surplus or a shortage in each content area. Dr. Moody explained that the formula is not sensitive to more recent contextual factors, such as hiring practices spread throughout the year and the necessity to hire teachers who have highly qualified teacher status in their teaching assignments. To meet the changing conditions of teacher staffing, the advisory committee recommended the use of the projection formula with additional current and relevant data. Acting upon this recommendation, MSDE staff developed revised procedures for identifying critical shortage areas. Procedures now include data from three different sources: the state projection formula used previously; the annual August statewide survey of vacancies conducted by the Office of Academic Policy; and the number of classes statewide not taught by highly qualified teachers, submitted annually by local school systems for reporting in accordance with No Child Left Behind. The data collected on highly qualified teachers includes only the content areas that No Child Left Behind defines as core academic subjects, including: the arts, English, language arts/reading, foreign languages, mathematics, science, civics and government, economics, history, geography and elementary education. MSDE s analysis of staffing patterns does not preclude consideration of other content areas, particularly as non-core academic subjects have been identified as areas of critical 5

15 shortage in the past, and it can be expected that they will be identified again if the procedures include all certification areas in the biennial analysis. Following additional recommendations by the advisory committee, MSDE staff developed a rubric (see Appendix B: Rubric for Rating Certification Content Areas) for rating each certification area. Using these three data sources, an external Expert Panel of representative stakeholders evaluated all certification areas, identifying each of the 32 areas as critical shortage, balanced, or surplus. Procedures involved rating each content area independently by the Expert Panel members, followed by a discussion among the members that resulted in a consensus on each of the ratings. Using this procedure, which included discussion with the Expert Panel about the issues they and their constituencies face, the critical shortage areas for the report have been identified, and are reported in Section II: Staffing Patterns. The revised methodology incorporates the mathematical data of the historical projection formula with relevant and current contextual data, as well as the professional views of experts who work directly with teacher preparation, recruitment, and hiring. The procedure is documented and replicable. Other Considerations This report reflects the transition from an annual to a biennial report. This reporting process aligns with the Workforce Student Assistance Grants schedule for awarding state tuition grants to address workforce shortages. Biennial reporting on teacher shortages is consistent with practices in other states and appropriate in Maryland, where year-to-year variation is minimal. Finally, the methodological changes 6

16 in the report, as well as the increasing workload demands necessitated by the staff at MSDE by No Child Left Behind, warrant moving from an annual to a biennial report. Summary and Report Overview In summary, the Maryland Teacher Staffing Report, , adopted by the State Board in October, 2006, was a transitional report; this report is the first biennial report, completing the transition to the new methodology and reporting schedule. While main features of previous reports are included, a revised methodology for determining shortage areas has been implemented. The procedures established to prepare this report are documented to ensure systematic replication in subsequent state reports of teacher staffing, as well as formative review for ongoing improvements to the report. This report follows the traditional sequence of sections, beginning with Incentives and Strategies for the Recruitment and Retention of Quality Teachers and Principals. Subsequent sections cover staffing patterns, geographic areas of projected shortage, Maryland-prepared teachers, minority and gender data, non-classroom professionals, and recommendations of shortage areas to the State Board of Education. This report provides information for both higher education institutions and local school systems as they educate and hire the future teachers for Maryland s schools. 7

17 SECTION I: INCENTIVES AND STRATEGIES FOR THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF QUALITY TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS For many years, Maryland has had a shortage of qualified teachers. Early-career attrition, rising PreK-12 student enrollments, and teacher retirements contribute to the shortages. Highly qualified teacher provisions of No Child Left Behind have exacerbated the problem that Maryland and other states have with teacher shortages. To address this problem, Maryland has numerous teacher quality and teacher retention strategies, including the 2008 Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grants (for all critical workforce occupational areas, which include certain content areas for teachers). The federal government also has several programs, including the new TEACH Act, which became effective July 1, An overview of select existing incentives and strategies is provided below in the categories of national and federal initiatives and state initiatives. National and Federal Initiatives Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program Through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Congress created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program that provides grants of up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from lowincome families. The first TEACH grants will be awarded to eligible students for the school year. 8

18 To receive a TEACH grant, the candidate must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income students. High-need fields are the specific areas identified below: Bilingual Education and English Language Acquisition; Foreign Language; Mathematics; Reading Specialist; Science ; and Special Education. The recipient of a TEACH grant must teach for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program. If the candidate fails to teach in an appropriate school, the grant will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan to be repaid to the U.S. Department of Education, with interest from the date the grant was disbursed. To receive a TEACH grant candidates must meet the following criteria: Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen; Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), even though students do not have to demonstrate financial need; Be enrolled as an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or graduate student in a postsecondary educational institution that has chosen to participate in the TEACH Grant Program; Be enrolled in coursework necessary to begin a career in teaching or plan to complete such coursework. Such coursework may include subject area courses (e.g., math courses for a student who intends to be a math teacher); 9

19 Meet certain academic achievement requirements (generally, scoring above the 75th percentile on a college admissions test or maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25); and Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve. Additional information is available through financial aid offices at participating institutions and the U.S. Department of Education website at: Loan Forgiveness Programs The federal government has several discharge (cancellation) or loan forgiveness programs connected to federal loans for teachers. The amount of funds for these programs varies from year to year. Current information is located at the federal loan site: Specific loans that have a forgiveness clause for students who teach can be found at: Sallie Mae Student Loan Rebate Program Sallie Mae, the nation s largest paying-for-college company, has a new program designed to attract and retain teachers and nurses in Maryland. Sallie Mae s Teach for Maryland loan assistance program (and a similar Care for Maryland for nurses) offers Maryland teachers a student loan rebate program. Sallie Mae s Teach for Maryland student loans are low-cost Stafford loans backed by the federal government. Through a partnership with the state, teacher education students at any Maryland college or university who commit to work as 10

20 teachers in the state are eligible for the program. Students who participate in this loan program will be eligible to receive a return of up to 10 percent of the total amount of their student loans (based on the original principal amount of their loans) after making 36 months of regular on-time payments and teaching in Maryland for three years. The same program is available for nursing students. Sallie Mae executives believe the program will help alleviate shortages and that all Marylanders will benefit. Information about the Teach for Maryland student loan programs is available by calling Good Neighbor Next Door Teacher Next Door, a program to strengthen communities (along with its Officer Next Door program), was developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Teacher Next Door and the Officer Next Door programs were launched in 1997, and revised in 2000, by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development combined them in what is now known as "Good Neighbor Next Door." This is one of several home-buying initiatives offered by the city, state, and federal government that provide incentives to help buyers across Maryland realize their dreams of home ownership. The program targets workers such as PreK-12 teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians. The program goal is to increase home ownership, while revitalizing neighborhoods in need of economic and community development. The program offers buyers financial incentives, namely a 50 percent reduction in the list 11

21 price of a home. In return, teachers and others must commit to living on the property for three years as their sole residence. More information is available at: Troops to Teachers Troops to Teachers was established in 1994 by the U.S. Department of Defense. Program responsibility, oversight, and funding were transferred to the U.S. Department of Education in Reflecting one focus of No Child Left Behind, the primary objective of the national Troops To Teachers program is to help recruit quality teachers for schools that serve low-income families throughout the United States. Troops To Teachers helps to relieve teacher shortages, especially in math, science, special education, and other high-need subject areas. Troops To Teachers assists military personnel in making successful transitions to new careers in teaching. Maryland has increased its support for this program through a grant received from the Troops To Teachers office to hire dedicated full-time staff to recruit new candidates, advocate for the program in the state, communicate with stakeholders, and develop marketing strategies. Maryland has received additional funding from the U.S. Department of Education to expand opportunities for alternative preparation programs that are well suited to service men and women preparing to become teachers. Additional information is available by calling ; toll free at , or visiting the Maryland Troops To Teachers site at: The national website for Troops To Teachers programs can be found at: 12

22 State Initiatives Student Financial Assistance Sharon Christa McAuliffe Memorial Teacher Education Award. The Sharon Christa McAuliffe Memorial Teacher Education Awards have been given to candidates in state-identified critical shortage areas since In 2006, the Maryland General Assembly repealed the legislation authorizing this award and included teacher education in new legislation, HB 688: Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grants. The purpose of the new legislation was to consolidate all state grants given to professions in which there were shortages. In , the first grants were awarded, including preparation for teachers in the content shortage areas declared by the Maryland State Board of Education. Grants to teachers continue to be named after Sharon Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space. In the transition year, 19 students were possible renewal candidates from the previous year (two-year grants if candidates met all requirements). Only two grants were renewed for the academic year for a total of $6, The other 17 grants were not renewed because the students graduated, did not enroll, or exhausted their semesters of eligibility. In FY 2006, the final year of the previous grants, $257,477 was allocated for the Sharon Christa McAuliffe Teacher Education Award. There were 135 applicants, and 19 individuals were awarded scholarships. There are 71 eligible applicants on a waiting list (due to lack of funds). Late or incomplete applications numbered 35. The law states that this award may not exceed the annual tuition and mandatory fees (including room and board, if applicable) of a resident undergraduate student at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Since July 1, 2002, this award may be used with any other 13

23 sponsored student financial aid as long as the two combined do not exceed $18,300. For more information visit the website at or call Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grants. The 2006 General Assembly passed HB 688: Higher Education Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grants (Chapter 367, Acts of 2006) to consolidate seven workforce-related state financial assistance programs into one program (see Appendix A: : Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grants). The Sharon Christa McAuliffe Memorial Teacher Education Award, which had been in existence for over 20 years, is now part of this consolidated effort. The new rules and regulations, developed by an advisory council, apply to all seven workforce areas. Individuals receiving an award must agree to work one year in an eligible occupation in Maryland for each year the award is received. An awardee must be a full-time resident of Maryland, enrolled at a two-year or four-year Maryland college or university as a full-time (12+ credits per semester) or part-time (6-11 credits per semester) degree-seeking undergraduate student, or a full-time (9+ credits per semester) or part-time (6-8 credits per semester) degree-seeking graduate student. Awardees sign a promissory note that is due if the service obligation is not met in accordance with the guidelines. The eligible content areas for the school year are those identified in the most recent Maryland Teacher Staffing Report: (not those identified in this report). The critical content areas are listed on the official application along with more information at: 14

24 The Distinguished Scholar Teacher Education Program. The Distinguished Scholar Teacher Education Program was designed to provide financial incentives to attract highly able students to Maryland s teacher preparation programs. This meritbased award program is available only to undergraduate students who have already been identified as Distinguished Scholar Award recipients. The program provides an additional $3,000 per year to Distinguished Scholar Award recipients who have already qualified for $3,000 per year, for up to $12,000 across four years. For renewal annually until graduation, a student must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and remain enrolled fulltime at a two- or four-year college or university in an approved teacher education program. This award is for undergraduate study and requires the individual to fulfill a service obligation requirement (one year as a full-time classroom teacher for each year of the award). Additional information can be obtained by calling the Maryland Higher Education Commission State Scholarship Administration at , toll-free at , or by visiting the website at: Recruitment and Retention Programs Quality Teacher Incentive Act Grants. In 1999, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation, HB9: Quality Teacher Incentive Act, enabling local school systems to offer a number of incentives to recruit and retain quality teachers. Specifically, the law provides: A $1,000 signing bonus for new classroom teachers graduating with a grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent. Anyone receiving a signing bonus must remain employed in a public school system for a minimum of three consecutive years or reimburse the State for the bonus; 15

25 A stipend of up to $2,000 a year (a dollar-for-dollar match required of local school systems) for classroom teachers who earn National Board Certification; A $2,000 annual stipend for teachers holding an Advanced Professional Certificate who work in schools in corrective action or restructuring; A $1,500 tax credit to offset graduate tuition costs for courses needed to maintain certification; Extension of the new teacher probationary period from two to three years under certain conditions; and A requirement that the employer of the individual who receives a bonus or stipend pay the increase in fringe benefit costs associated with the bonus or stipend. To date, the impact of these grants on the recruitment and retention of quality teachers in Maryland has been significant, and it will continue to be an effective element of state educational policy. In , teachers received $6,244,946; and in , teachers received $9,049,424 in awards. The details concerning numbers and types of grants and incentives awarded are found in Appendix C: Quality Teacher Incentive Act Grants, Quality Teacher Work Group of In response to the Maryland Teacher Staffing Report, , a Quality Teacher Work Group was formed to make recommendations to the State Board concerning the following three issues: (1) ways to ensure high quality teachers in low performing schools; (2) ways to staff areas of critical teacher shortage; and (3) the need for aggressive recruitment and retention strategies. The Quality Teacher Work Group, chaired by Dr. Edward Root, State Board President, issued its final report in February, An Implementation Plan developed in April, 16

26 2003 identified lead persons responsible for implementing the 26 recommendations with appropriate timelines. Most of the recommendations are now in place or in the process of being implemented. These recommendations include a requirement that by July 1, 2009 (recently changed to 2012 as a result of the 2008 Teacher Shortage Task Force), all newly hired teachers must have completed an approved teacher education program; the development of alternative teacher preparation programs using a common set of standards that lead to certification; the creation of a middle school certification endorsement for incumbent teachers; encouragement for community colleges to offer the MSDE-endorsed Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree; a provision for stipends and bonuses to highly qualified teachers in critical shortage areas; and inclusion of non-classroom professional positions in the annual declaration of content areas of critical shortage. The recommendation to include non-classroom professionals in the annual report began in 2003 by requesting data on six non-classroom professional areas: guidance counselor, library/media specialist, reading specialist, school psychologist, principal, and speech/language pathologist. This report now identifies critical shortage areas for these six professional areas. Resident Teacher Certificate. The Resident Teacher Certificate (RTC) is designed to attract and recruit into teaching liberal arts graduates and career changers who possess academic content backgrounds in the arts and sciences but did not complete teacher preparation programs. The first Resident Teacher Certificate regulation was adopted by the Maryland State Board of Education (COMAR 13A ) on December 19, 1990 and became effective on April 1, It 17

27 provided direction for local school systems to create an alternative route into the teaching profession. On December 1, 2005, the Resident Teacher Certificate regulation was amended by the State Board of Education in a continuing effort to endorse and support multiple alternative preparation pathways to teacher certification. The revision focused on improving Maryland s alternative route to certification and aligning certification for teacher residency with approved preparation programs, ensuring that the Resident Teacher Certificate is a viable option for providing highly qualified teachers to Maryland schools consistent with the provisions of No Child Left Behind and with the recommendations of the State Board s Quality Teacher Work Group of In addition to the amended regulation, both the State Board of Education and the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board adopted in 2006 the Guidelines for Implementing Approved Alternative Preparation Programs. Since this change, the number of candidates in these programs is growing rapidly. A significant change resulting from the program alignments is that all programs that use the Resident Teacher Certificate are now Maryland Approved Alternative Preparation Programs and rest under the authority of the Division of Certification and Accreditation, Program Approval and Assessment Branch. More information can be found on the MSDE website at: proval_section.htm. Transition to Teaching Grant. Since 2000, Maryland has implemented a U. S. Department of Education sponsored Transition to Teaching Grant (Maryland s 18

28 Alternative Routes to Certification Options, known as MARCO). This pilot program involving Prince George s County Public Schools, University of Maryland University College, Bowie State University and MSDE was designed to explore what works (and what does not) in alternative preparation programs. The training consists of effective integration of all components, including: Pre-employment online training; Summer internship experience; and First-year mentoring linked to training and internship experiences. These components ensure that the two goals of the program are met: high quality training for alternatively prepared teachers; and the development of a solid model for future alternative preparation programs. Troops to Teachers Enhancing Mobility Grant. In 2005, Maryland was awarded a U.S. Department of Education Troops to Teachers Enhancing Mobility Grant designed to: (1) discover promising practices as well as barriers to interstate certification reciprocity; and (2) develop new programs in Maryland for Troops to Teachers and other career changers. Implementation of this grant coincided with the regulation and policy changes discussed above for alternative preparation programs. The grant provided funds for eight pilot projects that implemented the 2005 regulations and policies. MARCO served as the model for these new pilots. Like MARCO, Maryland s alternative preparation programs function as partnerships with local school systems, unless the school system provides all of the training and support without an external provider. Currently, there are 19 Maryland Approved Alternative Preparation Programs located in 11 local school systems. Draft Standards of Practice 19

29 are in place, with Implementation Guidelines scheduled to be completed by the end of Providers include: Five four-year institutions of higher education that allow (and encourage) but do not require continued program components that result in a master s degree; Three community colleges; The New Teacher Project; and Teach for America. The new programs must meet a number of state requirements. They all must include a four- to eight-week internship and mentoring that is directly linked to training and internship content. The local school system partner must be the primary determinant of program content for the training, which is to be based on classroom needs. Finally, the partnership must submit an annual performance report to MSDE. By 2010, MSDE expects to use the Standards of Practice for Maryland Approved Alternative Preparation Programs along with the Implementation Guidelines in a state review process. This program approval review process will be comparable to the program approval process used for non-alternative teacher education programs. Program completers from approved alternative teacher preparation programs are considered highly qualified teachers (as defined by No Child Left Behind). They may have interstate reciprocity through the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) agreement (depending upon other states policies regarding alternative teacher preparation programs), because they have completed a state-approved program. For more information regarding the mobility of teacher licensure, see Teachers on the Move: A Look at Teacher Interstate Mobility 20

30 Policy and Practice, published in May 2008 by the NASDTEC. This document, produced with funds awarded to MSDE through the Troops to Teachers Grant discussed above, in partnership with Learning Point Associates, Macro International, and the Troops to Teachers national office, is available on both the NASDTEC and MSDE web sites. The programs are at: /10147/DirectoryofApprovedAlternativeTeacherPreparation.pdf. State Tax Credits. Maryland classroom teachers enrolled in college courses are eligible for an annual $1,500 tuition tax credit on their Maryland income tax returns, to offset graduate tuition expenses necessary to maintain teacher certification. To receive the credit, the teacher must successfully complete the courses with a grade of B or better, be employed by a local school system, have a satisfactory performance evaluation, and not have been reimbursed by the local school system for the tuition paid. The law can be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland Tax-General Article at: National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in 1987 to improve student learning in America s schools by developing a system of advanced, voluntary certification for teachers. The National Board established rigorous standards and a performance-based certification system to recognize quality teaching. It is designed to measure what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. The process requires teachers to demonstrate how their activities, both 21

31 inside and outside the classroom, strengthen student performance and contribute to student achievement. Maryland had 161 teachers gain national certification during the last cycle. This year s total was eleventh among all states, and Maryland s overall total (1,062 teachers) ranks fifteenth in the nation. Maryland has long been supportive of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and its goals, coordinating a Candidate Support Network since 1997 and establishing regional sites across the state to assist candidates in the assessment process. Through the network, candidates receive technical, intellectual, logistical, and emotional support as they progress through the assessment process. National Board Certification is our profession s most prestigious credential, representing a complete commitment to students, said State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick. These teachers are an inspiration to their students, their schools, and their communities. In addition to financial stipends offered by local school systems, Maryland matches these incentives (up to $2,000 per year) during the validity period of the National Board certificate (Annotated Code of Maryland, Education Article 6-306). The state also pays two-thirds of the fee for obtaining certification, while the local school system pays the other third. The certification process is open to anyone with a baccalaureate degree and three years of classroom experience. The certificate is valid for 10 years, after which a teacher may seek renewal. This year Maryland has issued $1,784,424 in grants to local school systems for teachers who achieved national certification and are employed as classroom teachers or other non-administrative 22

32 school-based professionals. (See Appendix C: Quality Teacher Incentive Act Grants, ). The national website is: and the state website is: BD3C85A1EFB8/5518/fact30.pdf. Retire/Rehire Program. Beginning in 1999, the Maryland General Assembly has enacted several bills which exempt certain retired teachers from an earnings limitation if they are reemployed as classroom teachers, substitute teachers, or teacher mentors. The current statute, enacted in 2005 as SB 663: Retirement and Pensions - Reemployment of Retirees, is aimed at rehiring teachers and principals to work in specific schools and teach in critical shortage content areas. The teacher retiree can be rehired without a reduction of pension benefits as a classroom teacher, substitute classroom teacher or a teacher mentor in a public school that: Is not making adequate yearly progress (AYP) or is in need of improvement as defined under No Child Left Behind and as implemented by the MSDE; or Is receiving funds under Title I of the federal No Child Left Behind and as implemented by the MSDE; or Provides an alternative education program for adjudicated youths or students who have been expelled, suspended, or identified for suspension or expulsion from a public school; or Has more than 50% of students attending who are eligible for free and reducedpriced meals (FARM) established under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 23

33 In addition, the position must be in a field that has been identified by the MSDE as an area of critical shortage, a special education class, or a class with students with limited English proficiency. A principal who retires with satisfactory performance can be rehired for two years without a reduction of benefits in a public school that: Is not making adequate yearly progress or is in need of improvement as defined under No Child Left Behind and as implemented by MSDE; or Is receiving funds under Title I of No Child Left Behind and as implemented by the MSDE; or Provides an alternative education program for adjudicated youths or students who have been expelled, suspended, or identified for suspension or expulsion from a public school; or Has more than 50% of students attending who are eligible for free and reducedpriced meals (FARM) established under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The statue includes a limited number of exemptions for each school system to provide for a small number of individuals teaching a critical shortage area in a school not identified above or teaching a non-critical subject in a school identified as eligible through in the criteria listed above. The number of teachers and principals taking advantage of this program in was 177 (up from 138 in the previous year). Thirteen school systems hired 164 teachers, eight principals and five speech pathologists. These numbers represent experienced teachers or principals seeking to teach in eligible schools (Title I, AYP, 24