Professional Development

Teachers Getting Younger

By Liana Loewus — October 12, 2011 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The teaching force is becoming younger, less experienced, and increasingly female, according to a survey by the National Center for Education Information.

The proportion of public school teachers younger than 30 has doubled since 2005, the last time the organization conducted a national survey of teachers, from 11 percent to 22 percent. And the proportion of teachers 50 and older dropped from 42 percent in 2005 to 31 percent in 2011.

“Clearly, the older teachers are retiring and being replaced once again by teachers in their 20s and 30s,” states the report, “Profile of Teachers in the U.S. 2011.”

Teachers' Ages, 1986-2011

Source: National Center for Education Information, 2011

BRIC ARCHIVE

In 2005, 18 percent of public school teachers surveyed had five or fewer years of experience. That proportion went up to 26 percent in 2011. The proportion of teachers with 25 years experience or more went down from 27 percent in 2005 to 17 percent in 2011.

And 84 percent of public school teachers are female, up slightly from 2005.

The public K-12 teaching force is still overwhelmingly white at 84 percent, according to the survey—though that is down from 91 percent in 1986.

The 86-page report also noted that four out of 10 new public school teachers hired since 2005 came through alternative teacher-preparation programs. That’s up from 22 percent of new teachers hired between 2000 and 2004.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the October 13, 2011 edition of Teacher PD Sourcebook

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
Classroom Technology K-12 Essentials Forum How AI Use Is Expanding in K-12 Schools
Join this free virtual event to explore how AI technology is—and is not—improving K-12 teaching and learning.
Mathematics Webinar How to Build Students’ Confidence in Math
Learn practical tips to build confident mathematicians in our webinar.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Professional Development Some Schools Are Taking the Lead in Teacher Training. What That Looks Like
Finalists for a national school improvment award say schools need more ongoing training.
3 min read
First grade teacher Tyrhonda Route teaches a lesson at Waterloo Elementary School in Laurens County, S.C. The school's specialist and lead teachers provide ongoing professional development to other educators.
First grade teacher Tyrhonda Route teaches a lesson at Waterloo Elementary School in Laurens County, S.C. The school's specialist and lead teachers provide ongoing professional development to other educators.
Courtesy of National Institute for Excellence in Teaching
Professional Development Opinion Principals Need Mentors, Too. How to Find the Right One
Although my district paired me with an official mentor, it wasn’t until I sought out one of my own that I found the right fit.
Ian Knox
4 min read
A young education leader looks through a telescope in search of the perfect mentoring relationship.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
Professional Development Can AI Effectively Coach Teachers?
Coaching is one of the most effective but resource-intensive forms of professional development. Can AI fill in the gaps?
9 min read
Photo collage of woman working on laptop computer.
Education Week + Getty
Professional Development Spotlight Spotlight on PD for the Science of Reading
This Spotlight will help you discover how to help students develop conceptual understanding, effectively teach word problems, and more.