The Front End of the STEM Teacher Pipeline: Early-Career STEM Teachers’ Field Experiences and Perceptions of Preparation

A growing quantitative literature finds evidence that student teaching placements predict later outcomes of teacher candidates and their students, but there is little large-scale about the mechanisms for these estimated relationships. We used data from a survey STEM teachers in Washington State to better understand how perceptions preparation were related current classroom environment. found composition students classrooms was predictive teachers’ preparation. For example, who taught with more English language learners economically disadvantaged reported feeling prepared teach specific populations. Likewise, high-poverty tended report manage classroom, particularly if they currently classroom.