1998 Supply and Demand of Educational Personnel for Wisconsin Public Schools

Supplement: University of Wisconsin System Statement

The Supply and Demand of Educational Personnel for Wisconsin Public Schools serves as a useful tool in documenting the supply and demand for educational personnel in Wisconsin public schools. The kind of data it collects and reports, and the conclusions reached from that data, serve the department in a variety of ways. However, while this information serves the specific purpose of the department and its clients, it is important to note that, from the perspective of teacher preparation programs, many other factors and considerations must be taken into account when evaluating the prospects for teacher preparation students.

The University of Wisconsin System Placement Office Reports differ in the kinds of data collected, when the data are collected, and in the methods of collecting the data. The following chart shows some of the more significant differences.

University of Wisconsin System Placement Chart

* Program completers are defined as individuals who have completed a degree or program (may be a post-baccalaureate program) at a Wisconsin college or university (IHE) that leads to both an initial or additional license to teach in Wisconsin. Graduates are defined as individuals who have received a BA or BS degree from a UW institution.

As the chart indicates, the DPI report is quite different from the UW Placement Reports. For example, in the DPI report:

• employment data from school districts are a "snapshot" taken on the third Friday in September;
• data are collected of "program completers" or licensees (including new and additional licenses) in addition to graduates from teacher preparation program;
• data include only public schools in Wisconsin; private or parochial schools, social service agencies, programs such as Head Start, day care centers, out-of-state placements, non-educational employment, and graduate schools are not reported.

Given the differences between Program Completers and Graduates, it is important that the supply and demand data in this report not be used to draw conclusions about the educational prospects of graduates from teacher preparation programs in Wisconsin. The population of Program Completers includes graduates, but is larger due to individuals receiving multiple or additional licenses. Furthermore, Program Completers may be: (1) individuals already employed in a school district; (2) practicing teachers gaining additional licenses; or (3) individuals receiving initial certification after graduation from another institution.

Data collected by placement offices at teacher preparation programs provide information about graduates that reflects a different perspective on the employment prospects. Graduates of teacher preparation programs who are willing to relocate find employment opportunities within Wisconsin and throughout the United States. UW-Madison reports that in 1996-1997 25% of its graduates accepted out-of-state teaching jobs. In For the same year, UW-River Falls reports that 35% of its graduates found educational employment outside of Wisconsin. The 1997 report Teacher Supply and Demand in the United States, from the American Association for Employment in Education, reported that data "reflect an improved employment market for nearly all certification areas." that "no education field is determined to have considerable surplus of teachers," and "the next five to seven years will show dramatic increase in new teacher hiring." Furthermore, education graduates are frequently employed both in and out-of-state at private and parochial schools, day care centers, or immediately proceed to graduate school after completing their initial degree. Again, the DPI report is limited to employment in Wisconsin Public Schools.

Readers of the report must also keep in mind steps taken by teacher preparation programs to address the over-supply of teachers in certain fields and the under-supply in others (within the State of Wisconsin). In areas of teacher shortages, data from UW placement officers demonstrate a significantly high placement rate for graduates in programs such as special education (81% of those reporting in 1996-97), technology education (88% of those reporting in 1996-97) and mathematics/computing (90% of those reporting in 1996-97). In special education--an area with a shortage of teachers--many teacher education programs have developed intensive programs allowing teachers to obtain a special education license at an accelerated pace. In the over-supplied area of elementary education, UW schools of education have limited enrollment in their programs. Some institutions report turning away as many as 50% of the applicants for their elementary education programs. Moreover, enrollments in elementary education programs throughout the UW System have been declining since 1990, while enrollments in special education have been increasing.

Upon admission into teacher preparation programs, students are advised of employment prospects within Wisconsin, areas of shortage and surplus, and the geographic distribution of employment prospects. In spite of this counseling, it must be noted that if students meet all criteria for admission, and there are spaces available in the program, many cannot be dissuaded from pursuing a degree in teacher education in spite of reportedly poor employment prospects. Education remains a very popular degree at most UW institutions. In the 1995-96 academic year education degrees accounted for approximately 14% of all degrees conferred at UW System institutions.

In conclusion, readers of this report are asked to keep in mind the specific uses and restricted interpretation that one can make from the data contained in it.

While teacher preparation programs acknowledge a problem with over-supply in certain fields, when one accounts for out-of-state placements, educational employment in the private sector, and other factors, the educational prospects for teachers remains encouraging.

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

Last updated on 12/6/2010 1:15:25 PM