Date of Graduation

1999

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of county school superintendents, county personnel directors, principals, and teachers in West Virginia who had been involved in the teacher selection process concerning the effectiveness of West Virginia State Code §18A-4-7a. More specifically, this study examined the perceived effectiveness of the second set of criteria found therein in leading to the employment of the most qualified applicant for a classroom teaching position in the public schools of West Virginia. A descriptive research design through a questionnaire was used which involved the analysis of the responses by the participants in the study concerning the effectiveness of the teacher selection criteria utilized in West Virginia. The following questions were researched: (1) To what extent do the legislatively mandated selection criteria in West Virginia State Code §18A-4-7a effectively lead to the employment of the most qualified applicant for public school classroom teaching positions in West Virginia? (2) Which of the seven teacher selection criteria were perceived as most effective in determining the most qualified applicant? (3) Which of the criteria should be deleted from state code? (4) What additional criteria should be added to state code? (5) In the event that two or more applicants are tied for a classroom teaching position as a result of utilizing the criteria, how should the tie be broken? (6) What percentage of classroom teacher employments since 1992 have been the most senior applicant for the position? (7) What percentage of classroom teacher employments since 1992 have been the most qualified applicant for the position? Major findings from the study included: (1) The teacher selection criteria in §18A-4-7a are not always effective in leading to the employment of the most qualified teacher applicant. (2) Teachers were more supportive of the legislatively mandated teacher selection criteria than were school administrators. (3) The most effective criteria were appropriate certification/licensure and the existence of teaching experience in the required certification area. (4) The least effective of the criteria was seniority and it was the most often suggested criterion for deletion from state code. (5) The most senior applicant received a position more often than did the most qualified applicant.

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