Criteria for selecting classroom teachers

The purpose of this study was to examine criteria used by public school administrators who select from among applicants to fill elementary and secondary classroom teaching positions in a large southeastern school district. The study was designed to determine the relative importance of criteria used by hiring officials when selecting first-time classroom teachers. The sample for this study included 76 South Florida public elementary (47) and secondary (29) principals. The survey instrument included 16 criteria. Each criterion was categorized into one of two subscales of the teacher selection process (credentials or interview). The design of this study included a series of eight factorial analyses of variance (ANOVAs) performed to examine the relationships between responses on the two subscales and school level, and selected administrator demographic variables. All eight analyses included identical school levels (elementary and secondary) and identical criteria subscales (credentials and interview). However, each of the eight analyses included a third factor pertaining to one of the eight administrator demographic variables (highest degree completed, number of years taught, number of certifications, number of years in administration, number of years at current school, age, gender, and ethnicity). Results indicated that means in the credentials subscale were significantly higher for secondary than for elementary administrators (p <.05). This difference in means was consistent regardless of which of the eight other demographic variables were included in the factorial analysis of variance design. Means in the interview subscale for elementary and secondary administrators were not significantly different. Means in both the credentials and the interview subscales for the eight demographic variables were not significantly different as main effects, or along with school level as two-way interactions. T-test results that indicated elementary administrators rated the interview subscale higher than the credentials subscale were in agreement with ANOVA results that indicated the credentials subscale was rated higher by secondary than by elementary administrators. The highest rated criterion, "enthusiasm for teaching" was rated most effective by 89% of the elementary and 97% of the secondary administrators surveyed. The lowest rated criterion, "test scores" was rated most effective by none of the elementary and four percent of the secondary administrators surveyed.