Altruism, Jobs, and Alternative Certification: Mathematics Teachers’ Reasons for Entry and Their Retention

This study examines the relationship between alternatively certified mathematics teachers’ stated reasons for entry and their odds of retention at the school level and at the district level. Study participants were members of the 2006 and 2007 cohorts of New York City Teaching Fellows who completed three surveys over a 9-year period. Administrative data sets from the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) provided employment history of cohort members as well as demographic information about the teachers and sites of employment in New York City (NYC) public schools. Drawing on retention and survey data, we found that, of the four reasons for entry factors, two were predictive of NYCTF mathematics teacher retention (i.e., job benefits and alternative certification) and two were not (i.e., altruism and meaningful job). Given the cost associated with recruiting and training alternatively certified teachers, information to improve the initial selection process and increase the rate of retention makes financial sense for districts that employ alternatively certified teachers.