K-12 STEM Educator Autonomy: An Investigation of School Influence and Classroom Control

Abstract

Over the past decade, teacher autonomy within the formal educational system has been a central topic of discussion among educational stakeholders. Research has indicated that teacher influence has an identifiable relationship with teacher retention, which is also a leading concern within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. However, examination of educational influence and control that is discipline specific is currently not a prevalent line of research. This study explored influence over school policy and classroom control among in-service science, technology, and mathematics educators within the United States. The National Center for Education Statistics restricted access dataset enabled examination of the study research questions. Specifically, the Schools and Staffing Survey Teacher Questionnaire (SASS-TQ) was employed for the purposes of this investigation. Hypothesis testing revealed differences between science and technology education, science and mathematics education, and technology and mathematics education teachers concerning influence over school policy and individual classroom control.