1999 Supply and Demand Tables

Appendix B: University of Wisconsin System Survey Summary

On the supply side, the Supply and Demand of Educational Personnel for Wisconsin Public Schools is designed to collect data on individuals who have completed a degree or program at the baccalaureate of post-baccalaureate level, including individuals already employed who are achieving additional certification. On the demand side, the DPI study includes data on the need for educators in Wisconsin public schools. Although the study was never intended to provide information of the placement of education graduates, it has nevertheless stimulated public discussion about the employment prospects for teacher education graduates.

In order to ascertain the employment prospects for teacher education graduates, the DPI supply and demand data are useful. However, additional information is necessary o have a more complete picture of the total employment prospects for those graduating with an initial baccalaureate degree in education. These additional data include teacher education employment in Wisconsin public and private schools, public and private schools outside of Wisconsin, social service agencies, and non-educational entities, as well as enrollment in post-graduate education programs.

To meet this need for system-wide data on the range of employment prospects for teacher education graduates, representatives from University of Wisconsin System teacher education programs and placement offices decided to survey their education graduates. UW System Administration contracted with the Wisconsin Survey Research Laboratory to work with the UW institutions to develop and conduct a survey. The survey was mailed to all students who received their initial BA/BS degree from a University of Wisconsin institution and who were eligible to receive a license to teach in Wisconsin during the December 1997, May l998, and August 1998 terms.

The survey was designed to provide information about the placement of UW teacher education graduates. The survey asked graduates about the following:

• Their employment status (employed or not)
• The nature of employment (teaching or other)
• The subject areas and grade levels in which they teach
• How satisfied they are with teaching as a career
• For those employed in non-teaching positions, how related their educational training was to their employment

A mail survey was sent to 2,113 graduates in the spring of 1999. After three mailings, a total of 1,382 graduates completed questionnaires, for a 65% response rate. With this response rate, we are confident in generalizing to the entire population of teacher education graduates.

The major findings of this survey provide us with significant information about our education graduates.

• Employment prospects for UW teacher education graduates are excellent: 96% of the graduates were employed: 86% were employed full time and 10% part-time.
• A significant majority of teacher education graduates are teaching: 87% of the respondents were employed as teachers. Of those employed as teachers, 83% were full-time, 5% were part-time, and 11% were employed as substitutes. Data in this year's Supply and Demand Report indicate that part-time teaching is a viable path to full-time teaching.
• UW graduates are primarily teaching in Wisconsin: 78% of the respondents employed as teachers were teaching in Wisconsin, in public or private schools or in day care centers.
  
  * Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
  
  
• Graduates from UW teacher preparation programs are satisfied with teaching as a career: 94% of the respondents employed as teachers indicated that they were very satisfied (63%) or somewhat satisfied (31%) with teaching as a career.
• UW graduates are licensed to teach at several grade levels (grade ranges), thus enhancing their employment prospects: 77% of those who responded are licensed to teach at multiple grade levels.
• For the small percentage of respondents (9%) who were currently employed in non-teaching positions, 44% were in managerial or professional occupations. A majority (54%) of those same respondents indicated that their current positions were very of somewhat related to their field of study.
• Only 2% of all respondents (23 individuals) reported being employed in an area unrelated to education because they could not find a full-time teaching position.

In summary, the information obtained from this survey is encouraging. The data clearly show that UW teacher education graduates are finding employment as teachers in Wisconsin, and that they are satisfied with their career choice.

Source: Wisconsin Survey Research Laboratory, 1999.

For questions about this information, contact Paul Trilling (608) 266-0933

Last updated on 12/6/2010 1:23:51 PM