Percentage Gains by States

Certain States have maintained a consistently high percentage of men high-school teachers (Utah, Arizona, South Dakota, Nevada, Indiana). Others have shown a consistently smaller percentage of men teachers. Many States report an increasing percentage of men teachers over the 14 year period between 1937-38 and 1951-52. Table IV indicates the rank order of 22 States showing significant gains. A case in point is Lelaware: in 1937-38 that State was one of those showing the lowest percentage of men teachers; in 1937-38, it was neither low nor high; but in 1951-52, it had more men than women high school teachers-51.5 percent men, a gain of 41.5 percent over 1937-38. California is one of 4 States that increased its percentage of men teachers in 1945-46 over 1937-38 (Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island are the others) and then experienced a larger increase by 1951-52, a total of 30.6 percent over 1937-38.

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Decrease in Percentage of Men by State

Twelve States showed percentage decreases in men high-school teachers in the 14 year period ending 1951-52.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Nationwide, the number of men teachers in public high schools changed by plus 4.3 percent from 1937-38 to 1951-52,

Nationwide, the highest percentage of men teachers in public high schools occurred in 1900 (49.4 percent); the next highest percentage was in 1952 (45.6 percent).

From 1890 to 1952, the percentage of men teachers in public high schools has varied greatly, and no pattern of steady increase or decrease is apparent.

Thirty-five States and the District of Columbia now employ a larger percentage of men teachers in public high schools than they did in 1937-38.

Twelve States, mostly in the South, now employ a smaller percentage of men teachers in public high schools than they did in 1937-38.

6.

7.

8.

9.

One State (Louisiana) had approximately the same percentage of men
teachers in public high schools in 1951-52 that it did in 1937-38.

In 7 States (Delaware, Minnesota, California, Iowa, Massachusetts,
Oregon, Washington) the number of men teachers in public high schools
changed by plus 15 to plus 10 percent in the 14 years from 1937-38
to 1951-52. The number of men teachers in the State of Delaware, for
example, increased 41.5 percent during the 14 year period.

In the States having schools segregated by race (including the District
of Columbia) the percentage of men teachers in Negro public high schools
greatly exceeded the percentage of men teachers in white public high
schools in 1937-38; but in 1951-52 the percentage of the former had
diminished and the percentage of the latter had increased to the point
where there was no significant difference between the two.

Twenty-three States now employ either as many men as women teachers or more men than women teachers in their public high schools. (49.4 to 64.5 percent men).

10. Twenty-five States and the District of Columbia would have to employ additional men teachers to have their high schools staffed by an approximately equal number of men and women teachers. For example, the current ratio between men and women high-school teachers in Alabama is approximately 1:2.

11. Utah has consistently employed a significantly greater percentage of men teachers in public high schools than any other State.

12. In general, the rank order of States by geographic region reporting the highest percentage of men teachers is (1) Rocky Mountain States, (2) Southwestern States, (3) Western States, (4) Mid-Westem States, (5) Mid-Atlantic States, (6) Northeastem States, and (7) Southern States and the District of Columbia.

If the percentage of men teachers in those States already having a greater proportion of men than wonen teachers were to increase, it is possible that such States might seek to employ more women teachers to reach a balance between the sex of teachers in high schools.

Of course, the question of sex-distribution of high-school teachers in the States is a matter for determination by the States or by school districts within the States. But it is obvious that increasing or maintaining the percentage of men teachers in public high schools has to be a slow process, as the security of competent teachers in their jobs is an essential element of lower teacher turnover. Consequently, change in the sex-distribution of high school teachers tends to occur when higher enrollments require the employment of additional teachers or when teachers retire from the teaching

As

It is doubtful that any State or school district would wish to have a high-school teaching staff predominantly men or predominantly women. practically all States enroll a higher percentage of girls than boys in secondary schools, it is only natural that they have some sort of balance between the proportion of men and women teachers. It appears both desirable and beneficial. However, scientific data are not available to indicate the effect of preponderant imbalance of men or women teachers on the high schools of a State or school district. All that can be said at present is--more men are being attracted to the high-school teaching profession.

Other Comments

Within the scope of this report it is not possible to provide further details of the ratio of men to women high-school teachers. Nevertheless, certain other factors deserve examination; for example, type of school and area of instruction.

Is it true that the percentage of men teachers is smaller in the separate 3-year junior high school than in either the senior or regular high school? Apparently so. Recently derived data from the "Statistics of Public Secondary Day Schools, 1951-52", published in 1954, indicate that junior high-school teaching staffs have a smaller percentage of men teachers than any other type of secondary school.

Chapter V, Biennial Survey of Education in the U. S. Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office. 35%.

354. Pp. 62-3 and derived data.

Statistical data from California corroborate the nationwide figures given above. In the California junior high schools there are 1,470 men and 2,016 women teachers, while in the other types of high schools (regular, senior, and undivided) there are more men than women teachers.2

Data on percentage of men teachers by area of instruction would also be helpful. Certain subjects such as Physical Education, Industrial Arts, and Home Economics generally require teachers of one sex. But many of the high-school subjects are not subject to such patterns. Little nationwide information on this topic is available. Brown has reported in 1953 from a sampling of 2,667 public high-school mathematics teachers that 66 percent were men. The men outnumbered the women both as full-time and part-time teachers in mathematics.

This circular has provided certain factual information on the status of the percentage of men teachers in public high schools at specified intervals since 1890. Perhaps it will stimulate investigation into some qualitative aspects of the sex-distribution of high-school teachers, such as the underlying causes responsible for the fluctuation in percentages given, substantiation of hypotheses regarding the desirable ratio of men to women teachers in public high schools, and evaluation of the effect of a high-school staff of varying proportions of men and women on the learning progress of pupils.

2/ Magnuson, Henry W. et al. Survey of Teachers' Work Week in California High Schools. California Schools. August 1954. pp. 339-355. Sacramento: State Department of Education.

3/ Brown, Kenneth E. Mathematics in Public High Schools. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. Office of Education Bulletin 1953 No. 5.