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William Paterson University Awarded Research Fellowship to Study Teacher Persistence in Urban Settings

--Project, in partnership with Kean University and Rowan University, funded by American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) has awarded a 2014 Research Fellowship in Educator Preparation to William Paterson University of Wayne in partnership with Kean University and Rowan University. The one-year fellowship will provide researchers $30,000 to study the persistence in urban classrooms of teachers prepared through varied certification pathways.

Researchers will explore how and why varied pathways to teaching contribute to teachers’ retention in urban school districts through at least their fourth year on the job. Teacher attrition in these settings is a common problem that deprives students of the benefits of having experienced teachers and a stable learning environment.

“This study reorients the frequently asked question ‘Why do teachers leave?’ to examine the positive aspects driving teacher retention in urban schools,” said Sharon P. Robinson, EdD, president and CEO of AACTE. “The strong research design, rich data sources and focus on prominent programs make this project of great potential value to the field. AACTE is proud to support this work.”

“The generous support of the United States Department of Education has made possible our pilot programs, in which we have explored pathways into teaching,” said Candace Burns, dean of the College of Education at William Paterson University. “Now, AACTE's partnership and support will help us to jointly explore and deepen our understanding of teacher persistence in our partner districts, according to preparation pathway. We are thrilled that we were selected to receive this research fellowship.”

The pathways to be studied include traditional, year-long residency and alternative-route programs for initial certification offered across the three institutions, developed with support over the past 15 years from such high-profile programs as the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship and the federal Teacher Quality Enhancement, Teacher Quality Partnership and Transition to Teaching programs. Developing ways to compare these diverse programs’ impact and sharing the findings with those who oversee the programs are among the study’s promising objectives.

The AACTE member panel that reviewed the nearly 80 proposals for the 2014 Research Fellowship praised the New Jersey project’s original approach to researching urban teacher retention, and the thoroughness of the research design for comparing outcomes from varied pathways into initial licensure of teachers specifically prepared to meet the needs of diverse school settings. The New Jersey project is one of two inaugural AACTE Research Fellowships awarded for 2014; the other is based at the University of Southern Maine.

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education is a national alliance of educator preparation programs dedicated to high-quality, evidence-based preparation that assures educators are ready to teach all learners on day one. Its more than 800 member institutions represent public and private colleges and universities in every state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. AACTE seeks to lead the field in advocacy and capacity building by promoting innovation and effective practices as critical to reforming educator preparation.

William Paterson University is a leading public university in New Jersey with nearly 11,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate academic programs offered by five academic colleges: Arts and Communication, Cotsakos College of Business, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science and Health. Located on 370 hilltop acres in Wayne, the university offers a wide range of learning opportunities in its classrooms, laboratories and studios, and provides housing for nearly 2,700 students. The institution’s 400 full-time faculty are highly distinguished and diverse scholars and teachers, including 40 Fulbright scholars and recipients of numerous other awards, grants, and fellowships. The institution’s more than 67,000 alumni can be found throughout New Jersey, the nation, and the world.