A Systematic Review of the Recent Empirical Literature on Math and Science Teacher Recruitment and Retention

The shortage of math and science teachers is a pressing issue in the United States (US) and globally. This review closely follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and synthesizes findings from 43 peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2005 and 2024 on the recruitment and retention of math and science teachers, offering a new perspective for understanding and mitigating math and science teacher shortages. This review revealed (a) the qualifications and characteristics of math and science teachers who enter and remain in the teaching profession; (b) that financial incentives, experiential learning, mentorship, and professional development are commonly used strategies and mechanisms to recruit and retain math and science teachers; and (c) that psychological, sociocultural, and working conditions are factors that influence math and science teachers’ decisions to enter and remain in the teaching field. While this review primarily focuses on the US context, it offers valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and other key stakeholders worldwide by identifying strategies, mechanisms, and factors that shape teacher recruitment and retention in math and science. This review also discusses gaps in the literature, directions for future research, and implications for research, policy, and practice that emerge from the empirical evidence.