How Student Teaching and Degree Level Impact Perceived Preparedness for Beginning CTE, Science, and Mathematics Teachers

Understanding how beginning teachers feel about their preparation before entering the classroom is critical in developing teacher supports. Two specific aspects of teacher preparation include student teaching and the highest degree obtained. This study compared the self-reported preparedness of beginning CTE, science, and mathematics teachers based on whether or not they had student teaching experience and their degree level before becoming a classroom teacher. This was done by analyzing data from the 2020‐2021 National Teacher and Principal Survey for CTE, science, and mathematics teachers within their first three years of teaching. The results show that beginning CTE, science, and math teachers who had student teaching experience before becoming a classroom teacher had a statistically significantly higher level of perceived preparedness compared to the teachers who did not have student teaching experience. Regarding degree level, overall, there was no difference between those teachers with a bachelor’s degree or lower compared to those with a master’s degree or higher. Of the teachers with a bachelor’s degree or less, beginning math teachers had a statistically significantly higher perceived preparedness than CTE teachers. Understanding the factors that contribute to a teacher’s feeling of preparedness is critical for supporting new teachers. More research is needed to understand teacher preparedness in STEM fields.