Although the University of Wisconsin System has experienced declining enrollment in teaching training programs, UW-Madison strays from the trend, a School of Education official said.
According to data outlined in the Wisconsin State Journal Monday, the UW System saw a 2.8 percent decrease in teaching program enrollment between 2010 and 2012, following a 6.8 percent increase from 2008 to 2010.
However, School of Education Associate Dean Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell said enrollment in programs at UW-Madison has remained steady over time. Certain declines in enrollment, she said, came from the School of Education reducing the number of students admitted to some teacher training programs.
For instance, in response to declining demand for early elementary educators, the school cut admittance each semester in half.
Senior Madeline Crass chose to attend UW-Madison specifically for its strong teaching program. An elementary education major, she said low pay and demands on teachers might make the industry “not as welcoming as it used to be.”
Laurel Stokes is in the School of Education’s Special Education masters program and echoed Crass’ sentiments, specifically citing an increased emphasis on using test scores to judge teacher’s performance.
“You’re not going to get paid millions and millions of dollars for something that you’re going to pour your heart and soul into,” Stokes said.
Wisconsin has also experienced a decline in demand for licensed staff including teachers, school librarians and social workers. According to Wisconsin Information System for Education data, from 2010 to 2013 the number of licensed staff employed in Wisconsin fell from 7.7 staff per 100 to 7.5.
Associate Dean Hanley-Maxwell said the current decline in demand for teachers has not had a large impact on UW-Madison graduates, who are often recruited from employers across the country.
Still, Crass said she saw her sister struggle to find a job after graduating from the School of Education two years ago. However, she said a recent uptick in teachers retiring may make the job market easier in certain districts.
Hanley-Maxwell said overall, students are as optimistic as ever about their futures.
“In general our student teachers are still very idealistic, very positive about the field,” Hanley-Maxwell said.
This article has been edited to reflect the following corrections: the data on teaching programs was from the Wisconsin State Journal and it showed an increase in teachers from 2008-2010, not a decrease.
