Percentage of early career public K–12 school teachers that began teaching before March 2020, and among those teachers, the percentage who reported they were well or very well prepared during their first year of teaching for selected activities, by selected school and teacher characteristics: 2020–21

		Among early career teachers starting before March 2020, percent who reported they were well or very well prepared during their first year of teaching for the following activities
Selected school and teacher characteristic	Percent of all early career public school teachers that began teaching before March 2020¹	Handle a range of classroom management or discipline situations		Use a variety of instructional methods		Teach their subject matter		Use computers in classroom instruction		Assess students		Differentiate instruction in the classroom		Use data from student assessments to inform instruction		Teach to state content standards		Teach students who are limited-English proficient (LEP) or English-language learners (ELLs)		Teach students with special needs
All public school teachers	86.3	8.6		5.9		3.2		6.6		4.7		8.0		9.1		7.2		21.3		13.4

School classification
Traditional public school	86.5	8.1		5.3		3.0		6.3		4.3		7.5		8.5		6.6		21.1		13.1
Charter school	85.3	12.5		10.4		5.1		9.2		8.1		12.0		13.8		11.5		22.8		16.2

Community type
City	87.2	10.6		7.0		4.0		8.8		6.2		9.4		11.0		9.6		20.8		14.7
Suburban	87.9	8.1		5.0		2.7		5.6		4.2		6.6		7.6		6.1		19.0		12.8
Town	84.7	6.8		5.5		2.5		5.0		4.0		7.0		8.0		4.7		18.8		10.4
Rural	83.7	7.6		6.0		3.2		5.8		3.8		8.6		9.4		6.7		26.8		14.2

School level, based on CCD definition²
Elementary	86.2	7.3		4.9		3.4		6.8		4.8		6.1		8.2		6.5		20.3		12.4
Middle	86.3	9.1		6.0		3.9		6.3		4.4		8.9		9.5		7.1		19.9		14.2
Secondary/high	86.8	10.4		7.9		2.4		6.4		5.0		10.8		10.8		8.2		24.1		15.5
Combined/other	85.6	9.0		4.9		3.2		6.9		3.8		7.4		7.6		7.6		20.9		10.7

School level, based on low and high grades³
Primary	86.5	7.5		4.9		3.5		6.9		4.7		6.1		8.2		6.6		20.3		12.4
Middle	86.0	9.1		6.0		3.9		6.1		4.3		8.8		9.4		7.0		20.1		14.4
High	88.6	11.0		8.1		2.7		6.5		5.0		11.0		10.6		8.4		24.5		15.9
Combined	80.2	6.8		4.9		2.0	!	6.3		4.6		7.8		9.1		7.1		19.6		9.9

Student enrollment
Less than 100 students	80.2	7.6	!	9.3	!	‡		4.3	!	‡		13.7	!	9.5	!	5.0	!	20.2		14.6	!
100–199	83.2	11.9	!	‡		‡		4.6	!	8.5	!	11.3	!	14.6		9.8	!	30.1		13.9
200–499	85.5	7.7		4.8		3.0		7.4		4.4		6.0		7.7		6.6		22.7		11.4
500–749	85.9	8.7		6.9		4.2		6.5		5.5		8.5		10.1		8.1		20.1		15.1
750–999	86.1	8.0		4.0		1.9		5.5		3.5		8.1		8.7		5.0		18.0		13.6
1,000 or more students	89.7	9.3		5.9		2.7		6.6		4.0		8.9		8.8		7.5		20.7		14.1

Percent of K–12 students who were approved for reduced–price lunches⁴
0–34	85.2	7.3		4.0		1.8		5.5		2.9		5.6		6.2		5.8		20.8		12.1
35–49	86.7	8.8		4.4		2.9		6.3		4.2		7.6		7.9		6.1		21.3		11.1
50–74	88.4	8.1		5.6		2.6		4.9		4.2		8.2		8.6		6.3		20.7		13.2
75 or more	85.8	9.7		7.9		4.6		8.4		6.4		9.5		11.7		8.9		21.9		15.2

Teacher age
Less than 30 years	84.4	8.3		4.8		3.1		6.5		3.9		6.9		7.6		6.0		20.2		12.4
30–49	88.7	9.3		7.3		3.6		6.8		6.2		9.4		11.4		8.9		23.2		15.2
50–54	91.0	9.7		10.0		‡		8.1		5.4	!	11.8		9.9		9.1		20.4		15.3
55 or more years	93.2	5.6		6.2	!	‡		5.3	!	3.2	!	7.5		10.4		6.9		22.3		11.0

Teacher sex⁵
Female	86.5	8.7		5.8		3.4		6.7		4.8		7.6		8.9		7.1		21.3		12.8
Male	85.9	8.3		6.3		2.6		6.2		4.3		9.1		9.8		7.5		21.1		15.4

Teacher race/ethnicity
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic	86.1	15.5	!	‡		‡		‡		‡		‡		18.4	!	‡		29.8		‡
Asian, non-Hispanic	88.4	6.3		3.8	!	3.7	!	6.3	!	4.9	!	7.0		8.6		8.5		15.6		18.4
Black or African American, non-Hispanic	86.2	9.0		12.6		7.0		7.8		7.7		16.5		14.5		12.5		28.3		18.7
Hispanic, regardless of race	85.1	10.7		8.1		4.6		8.1		7.1		9.1		11.6		11.0		12.5		16.1
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic	94.4	‡		‡		‡		‡		‡		‡		‡		‡		31.3	!	21.3	!
White, non-Hispanic	86.3	8.3		5.0		2.6		6.2		4.0		6.9		8.1		5.9		22.1		12.3
Two or more races, non-Hispanic	90.9	9.0		6.7	!	3.2	!	8.0	!	4.8	!	11.8		12.1		9.8		25.1		13.6

Teacher highest degree earned
Bachelor's degree or less	84.1	8.5		6.3		3.5		6.4		4.8		8.5		9.8		7.1		21.9		14.5
Master's degree	89.7	8.7		5.2		2.9		6.9		4.5		7.3		8.0		7.2		20.8		11.8
Higher than a master's degree⁶	93.2	9.5		6.5		2.3	!	6.1		5.4		5.8		7.4		6.9		14.8		12.1

! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 percent and 50 percent (i.e., the standard error is at least 30 percent and less than 50 percent of the estimate).

‡ Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate, or the coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater (i.e., the standard error is 50 percent or more of the estimate).

¹Early career teachers are defined as those starting teaching no earlier than the 2016-17 school year.

²School level based on the definitions set by Common Core of Data (CCD). Elementary schools offer at least one grade of K through 4, and the number of elementary grades is at least as high as the number of middle grades. Middle schools offer at least one of grades 5 through 8, and the number of middle grades is greater than the number of elementary or secondary grades. Secondary/high schools are defined as schools that offer at least as many of grades 9 through 12 as in lower grades. Combined/other schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools. School level categories in the 2020–21 NTPS differ from those in previous survey administrations; caution should be exercised when comparing estimates by level over time.

³School level based on low and high grades offered by the school. Primary schools offer at least one grade lower than 5 and no grade higher than 8. Middle schools offer no grade lower than 5 and no grade higher than 8. High schools offer no grade lower than 7 and at least one grade higher than 8. Combined schools offer at least one grade lower than 7 and at least one grade higher than 8. Schools with only ungraded classes were included with combined schools. These categories are provided because they are comparable to those used in previous NTPS publications.

⁴Schools that don’t participate in the free or reduced-price lunch program are included with the "0–34" percent category.

⁵Teachers were asked whether they were male or female. Although this variable is labeled “sex,” the questionnaire did not use the terms either “gender” or “sex.”

⁶Higher than a master’s degree is defined as a teacher who completed any of the following: an educational specialist or professional diploma, a certificate of advanced graduate studies, or a doctorate or first professional degree.

NOTE: Data are weighted estimates of the population. Hispanic includes Latino. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), "Public School Teacher Data File," 2020–21.