Teaching Profession Report Roundup

STEM Teachers

By Catherine Gewertz — December 02, 2014 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Many high school students are interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, but very few of them want to teach in those fields, a situation that doesn’t bode well for the shortage of good teachers in STEM fields, according to a new study.

The study, released last month by ACT Inc., examines data gathered from 1.8 million students in the class of 2014 who took ACT exams. Just under half of those students said they were interested in STEM subjects, but only 4,424 expressed interest in teaching math, and 1,115 were interested in teaching science.

The report also suggests that students’ interest in STEM subjects outweighs their preparedness. Half or fewer of the students who indicated an interest in STEM fields met or exceeded ACT’s college-readiness benchmarks in math or science.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the December 03, 2014 edition of Education Week as STEM Teachers

Events

Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Boosting Student and Staff Mental Health: What Schools Can Do
Join this free virtual event based on recent reporting on student and staff mental health challenges and how schools have responded.
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
Curriculum Webinar
Practical Methods for Integrating Computer Science into Core Curriculum
Dive into insights on integrating computer science into core curricula with expert tips and practical strategies to empower students at every grade level.
Content provided by Learning.com
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

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

Teaching Profession Could Reimagining Teaching Help Teachers Love Their Jobs More? Here’s How
Some districts and schools have created new roles and opportunities for teachers.
6 min read
Tight crop of teacher fist bumping blurred Black school girl.
E+/Getty
Teaching Profession Substitute Teachers Would Like You to Stop Treating Them Like Babysitters
A research review found that substitute teachers get little respect and professional training.
6 min read
 Back view of a male teacher in classroom lecturing to elementary school students.
E+
Teaching Profession Opinion Teachers of Color Face Unique Challenges. Here Are Some of Them
Teaching is hard enough, but educators of color face additional—often invisible—tasks.
16 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Profession Opinion 'You Work for Us': How a Student's Slight Captures the Disrespect Teachers Face
Compare the treatment of teachers with other public servants and you’ll notice a disturbing trend.
Jherine Wilkerson
4 min read
Opinion illustration of teachers and students, about job perceptions.
Dedraw Studio/iStock/Getty