Literature Review on Teacher Recruitment Programs

This literature review is part of a multiyear evaluation of the Higher Education Act's Title II programs to recruit teachers. It is intended to help the U.S. Department of Education focus on key research questions that provide the background for the evaluation, as well as supply a reference tool for administrators and grantees of these teacher-recruitment programs. The text is divided into eight chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the purpose, scope, and organization of the review and provides an overview of teacher supply and demand. Chapter 2 examines various aspects of teacher-recruitment programs, such as sources of newly hired teachers and teacher recruitment for higher education. Chapter 3 highlights state and local efforts in teacher recruitment, paying attention to intermediate and longer term outcomes. The next chapter discusses effective elements of state recruitment efforts and the roles played by leadership and partnership, support services, and teacher-induction practices. Chapter 5 offers a local perspective of teacher recruitment, which is followed by an analysis of effective elements of local recruitment programs. Chapter 7 highlights the implications for evaluation of recruitment programs, and chapter 8 describes ways to meet the need for teachers. Two appendices list Internet resources and outcome data and program effectiveness. (Contains 94 references.) (RJM)