Texas Educator Preparation Pathways Study
Service to the State
The preparation, placement and retention of PreK-12 teachers is essential to ensuring the success of the public education system. Yet, persistent trends in Texas and throughout the U.S. point to significant challenges in ensuring the strength of the teacher workforce. In Texas, the PreK-12 system loses about 10 percent of its teachers in any given year.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen much greater teacher attrition rates. Historically, one response to the growing teacher shortage in Texas has been the development of many different pathways into the profession for those wishing to enter PreK-12 classrooms—more teachers certified through alternative pathways than any other state by a considerable margin.
We know that educator preparation matters when it comes to teacher retention and effectiveness, and—more importantly—when it comes to student outcomes.
Educator Preparation Pathways Study, 2022
To further examine this alarming trend, researchers embarked on a research study to investigate student performance, teacher retention and mobility. Utilizing a unique statewide longitudinal dataset, the study included almost 15,000 educators who were certified via university-based and alternative certification programs between September 2009 and August 2010 and were followed for nine years. The results of the study, and recommendations from the study’s steering committee, are available in the 2022 Educator Preparation Pathways Report.
If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Tara Kirkland, director of strategy and external relations.
