A new study shows that just one in every six Indiana undergraduate students who study education go on to enter teaching at an Indiana public school.
A report from the Institute of Education Sciences' Regional Education Laboratory Midwest followed more than 11,000 students who enrolled in Indiana colleges between 2010 and 2013 and pursued an undergraduate degree in education at any point.
The study's purpose was to examine the state of Indiana's teacher pipeline amid years of teacher shortages, and answer questions like how many students who entered college studying education ended up completing their degrees.
FROM 2019: IDOE: Teacher Shortage Areas Undermine State Education Priorities
Among the key findings were that among the cohort, which was a majority White and female, just around 16% went on to teach at an Indiana public school for at least a year by 2018/2019.
To stop the "leaks" in the teacher pipeline, researchers suggested increasing diversity by adjusting existing state programs to help direct more ethnic and racial minorities to go into teaching. They also urged more support for students from low-income backgrounds, who were found to be less likely to complete a Bachelor's degree in education than their higher-income peers.
Lastly, researchers suggested that colleges encourage students to enroll in education programs earlier in their college careers. The study found that students who started pursuing education degrees earlier in college were more likely to complete an undergraduate degree in education.
REL MW Understanding the Teacher Pipeline by Indiana Public Media News on Scribd
