A systematic review of STEM teacher recruitment and retention interventions
Abstract The worldwide problem of teacher recruitment and retention is particularly pronounced in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects, due in part to a lack of trainee teachers and to high rates of attrition. The teacher shortage has resulted in non-specialist teachers...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2025-07-01
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| Series: | International Journal of STEM Education |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-025-00550-6 |
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| _version_ | 1849389345195163648 |
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| author | Sophie Thompson-Lee Beng Huat See Robert Mark Klassen |
| author_facet | Sophie Thompson-Lee Beng Huat See Robert Mark Klassen |
| author_sort | Sophie Thompson-Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The worldwide problem of teacher recruitment and retention is particularly pronounced in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects, due in part to a lack of trainee teachers and to high rates of attrition. The teacher shortage has resulted in non-specialist teachers teaching STEM subjects and is likely to have a negative effect on the next generation of STEM students and STEM teachers. Numerous studies have outlined, and in some cases evaluated, recruitment and retention interventions, but to our knowledge a comprehensive review of interventions specifically aimed at recruiting STEM teachers has not yet been done. We reviewed 25 studies (9 recruitment, 11 retention, 5 both). Most interventions were financial (13/25), others included teacher education and alternative pathways. We evaluated study quality and the method each study used to assess intervention effectiveness. Financial incentives do not appear effective for recruitment despite being the most common incentive. Financial incentives seem to be more effective for retention; 3/9 higher quality studies found positive results. Findings for the other types of intervention were mixed and due to low design quality, not compelling. Our findings suggest that financial incentives might be effective for retention. Further research is needed to determine what interventions work for recruitment as the most common, financial incentives, do not appear effective. Studies investigating the efficacy of interventions need to be more rigorous with large sample sizes, comparison groups, and ideally randomised-control trials. There is also room for innovation as we did not find much evidence of novel intervention types. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a03b5b82973b4e458d3f2bae82a75ac6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2196-7822 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of STEM Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-a03b5b82973b4e458d3f2bae82a75ac62025-08-20T03:41:59ZengSpringerOpenInternational Journal of STEM Education2196-78222025-07-0112111810.1186/s40594-025-00550-6A systematic review of STEM teacher recruitment and retention interventionsSophie Thompson-Lee0Beng Huat See1Robert Mark Klassen2University of OxfordUniversity of BirminghamUniversity of OxfordAbstract The worldwide problem of teacher recruitment and retention is particularly pronounced in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects, due in part to a lack of trainee teachers and to high rates of attrition. The teacher shortage has resulted in non-specialist teachers teaching STEM subjects and is likely to have a negative effect on the next generation of STEM students and STEM teachers. Numerous studies have outlined, and in some cases evaluated, recruitment and retention interventions, but to our knowledge a comprehensive review of interventions specifically aimed at recruiting STEM teachers has not yet been done. We reviewed 25 studies (9 recruitment, 11 retention, 5 both). Most interventions were financial (13/25), others included teacher education and alternative pathways. We evaluated study quality and the method each study used to assess intervention effectiveness. Financial incentives do not appear effective for recruitment despite being the most common incentive. Financial incentives seem to be more effective for retention; 3/9 higher quality studies found positive results. Findings for the other types of intervention were mixed and due to low design quality, not compelling. Our findings suggest that financial incentives might be effective for retention. Further research is needed to determine what interventions work for recruitment as the most common, financial incentives, do not appear effective. Studies investigating the efficacy of interventions need to be more rigorous with large sample sizes, comparison groups, and ideally randomised-control trials. There is also room for innovation as we did not find much evidence of novel intervention types.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-025-00550-6STEMScienceTeachingRetentionRecruitmentSystematic review |
| spellingShingle | Sophie Thompson-Lee Beng Huat See Robert Mark Klassen A systematic review of STEM teacher recruitment and retention interventions International Journal of STEM Education STEM Science Teaching Retention Recruitment Systematic review |
| title | A systematic review of STEM teacher recruitment and retention interventions |
| title_full | A systematic review of STEM teacher recruitment and retention interventions |
| title_fullStr | A systematic review of STEM teacher recruitment and retention interventions |
| title_full_unstemmed | A systematic review of STEM teacher recruitment and retention interventions |
| title_short | A systematic review of STEM teacher recruitment and retention interventions |
| title_sort | systematic review of stem teacher recruitment and retention interventions |
| topic | STEM Science Teaching Retention Recruitment Systematic review |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-025-00550-6 |
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