Why is there a shortage of qualified science teachers?
One reason for the shortage of qualified science teachers is a high turnover rate. Richard Ingersoll found that after 3 years, nearly 30 percent of all beginning teachers left the profession, and this number jumped to nearly 40 percent after 5 years. The main reason for teachers leaving the profession seems to be job dissatisfaction. According to the NSTA science teacher survey, job displeasure was teachers’ top reason for potentially leaving their profession. The top two reasons for job dissatisfaction were poor administrative support and low salary. Industry, with its ability to pay top dollar, is attracting both prospective new teachers and those who have spent many years in the profession. Of college graduates who are trained to be teachers, two out of five opt not to go into the teacher profession. The average beginning pay for teachers nationwide is $26,639, and the average salary, $40,574. In comparison, college graduates who enter engineering can earn an average of $44,362 annu
