EdChoice Director of National Research Mike McShane, in partnership with Hanover Research, surveyed private school teachers and leaders across three states, including a substantial subset who had taught or led in both public and private schools. Based on the findings, he also identified opportunities to improve teacher preparation programs. Flip through to learn the top key charts and findings. Download the full report at www.edchoice.org/SkillsGap.

1. THE PRIVATE
SCHOOL TEACHER
SKILLS GAP
edchoice.org/SkillsGap
BREAKING DOWN
What K–12 Private School Educators Know
and What They Need to Know

2. This report set out to answer a simple
question: What skills do private school
educators need to be successful?

3. To answer that question, author Mike
McShane, in partnership with Hanover
Research, surveyed 447 private school
teachers and leaders in three states.
Arizona Iowa South Carolina

4. A beneficial result of the sample:
51 percent of the educators had served
in both public and private schools.

5. WHAT WE FOUND

6. Generally speaking, private school
educators—no matter the type of degree or
certificate they earned—felt the programs
where they studied were helpful.
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Certificate in Education (n=74)
Associate’s Degree in Education (n=12)
Bachelor’s Degree in Education (n=192)
Master’s Degree in Education (n=129)
Other (n=27)
36 28 24 55
5
4
4
Extremely Helpful Very Helpful Moderately Helpful Slighty Helpful Not at All Helpful
25
44
42
52
33
36
26
34
25
14
17
18
19
2
2

7. Once private schools hire new
educators, most spend between
six months and a year and
between $500 and $999
to bring them up to speed.
Less than 3 Months 3−6 Months 6 Months to a Year More than a Year

8. More than half of our respondents
said they need more professional
development in parental engagement,
classroom management and team-
building techniques as new hires.

9. And most private schools offer professional
development workshops and in-school
trainings to newly hired educators.
Further Training OpportunitiesTABLE 4
Count Percentage
Professional development workshops or events
Online courses (e.g., webinars)
Continuing education (school partners with a college or university to provide formal credit hours)
School-subsidized training (the school provides money to seek training elsewhere, such as a university)
Other types of in-school training (e.g., coaching)
I have no preference
Other
266
186
171
160
119
18
2
78
54
50
47
35
5
1
Note: n=343
Source: EdChoice, The Private School Teacher Skills Gap (conducted April 9–May 30, 2018), Q24 and Q49.
In what ways would you like to receive further training to become a better leader/teacher at your private school? Please select all that apply.

10. Teachers said the top five most important
skills for teaching in a private school are:
Passion for teaching
Modeling faith in action
Managing classrooms
Creating a comfortable learning environment
Communication skills
Source: EdChoice, The Private School Teacher Skills Gap (conducted April 9–May 30, 2018), Q34.
21%
6%
5%
4%
33%
31%
31%
25%
50%
59%
Number 1 Top 5

11. Administrators said the top five most important
skills for leading in a private school are:
Communication skills with parents and community members
Strong interpersonal and team building skills
Leadership skills
Setting academic goals and strategic vision
Organization and planning skills
Source: EdChoice, The Private School Teacher Skills Gap (conducted April 9–May 30, 2018), Q34.
13%
28%
18%
1%
69%
62%
48%
14%
70%
74%
Number 1 Top 5

12. Respondents also reported what they
didn’t learn during their formal training
but instead had to learn on the job.

13. The top six skills teachers didn’t learn
from their formal training are:
• 29% said “learning ‘on the job’”
• 28% said “managing classrooms”
• 27% said “communication skills”
• 25% respectively said “being flexible,” “being
tech savvy” and “modeling faith in action”

14. The top four skills administrators had to
learn on the job are:
• 52% said “school budgeting”
• 39% said “understanding legal compliance”
• 39% said “understanding accounting
and finance”
• 36% said “navigating bureaucracy”

15. • Fluency in Spanish
• Understanding the
Common Core
• Being Entrepreneurial
• Budgeting
• PR Skills
• Accounting and Finance
• Teaching Multiple
Subjects
• Modeling Faith in
Action
• Religious Instruction
PUBLIC SCHOOLS PRIVATE SCHOOLSBOTH
• Being Innovative
• Communication Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Implementing
Curriculum
• Leadership Skills
• Organization and
Planning Skills
• Setting Goal and Vision
• Administrative
Experience
• Teaching Experience
• Legal Compliance
• Understanding
Research
• Ability to Listen
• Acting as a Role Model
• Being a Team Player
• Flexibility
• Patience
• Tech Savviness
• Work Ethic
• Creating a Comfortable
Learning Environment
When we compare the differences between
the skills sets of educators in public schools
versus private schools, we find they have a lot
in common with some key differences.

16. These new findings led us to four ways
training programs could better prepare
private school educators.

17. 1. Colleges of education could cross-list
courses from other departments and give
credits to their students for taking them.
2. They could create specific tracks or concentrations for private school educators within traditional training
programs.
3. Institutions, whether at colleges of education or elsewhere, could create specialized, standalone private
school teacher and leader training programs.
4. Private schools that hire new educators could tailor the professional development workshops most
already offer to better fit the needs identified in this report.
FINANCE THEOLOGY
LAW BIOLOGY

18. 1. Colleges of education could cross-list courses from other departments and give credits to their students
for taking them.
2. They could create specific tracks or
concentrations for private school educators
within traditional training programs.
3. Institutions, whether at colleges of education or elsewhere, could create specialized, standalone private
school teacher and leader training programs.
4. Private schools that hire new educators could tailor the professional development workshops most
already offer to better fit the needs identified in this report.
2. They could create specific tracks or
concentrations for private school educators
within traditional training programs.
FINANCE THEOLOGY
LAW BIOLOGY

19. 1. Colleges of education could cross-list courses from other departments and give credits to their students
for taking them.
2. They could create specific tracks or concentrations for private school educators within traditional training
programs.
3. Trainers, whether at colleges of
education or elsewhere, could create
specialized, standalone private school
teacher and leader training programs.
4. Private schools that hire new educators could tailor the professional development workshops most
already offer to better fit the needs identified in this report.
3. Institutions, whether at colleges of
education or elsewhere, could create
specialized, standalone private school
teacher and leader training programs.
FINANCE THEOLOGY
LAW BIOLOGY

20. 1. Colleges of education could cross-list courses from other departments and give credits to their students
for taking them.
2. They could create specific tracks or concentrations for private school educators within traditional training
programs.
3. Institutions, whether at colleges of education or elsewhere, could create specialized, standalone private
school teacher and leader training programs.
4. Private schools that hire new educators
could tailor the professional development
workshops most already offer to better fit
the needs identified in this report.
FINANCE THEOLOGY
LAW BIOLOGY

21. With private school choice programs expanding all
over the country, there will be more need than ever for
private school teachers and leaders.
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
18691873
1955198719901991199219931994
19951996
19971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013
201420152016
20172018
1 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 7 8 9 10
12 12 12
14 15
18
20
23 24
26
31
36
44
49
54
57 60
64
2019
65
NUMBER OF CURRENTLY ENACTED PRIVATE SCHOOL
CHOICE PROGRAMS BY YEAR LAUNCHED
EDUCATIONAL SAVINGS ACCOUNT VOUCHER TAX-CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP TAX CREDIT AND DEDUCTION

22. And with some changes, educator training
programs can help fill private schools with
well-prepared educators who, ultimately,
can better educate the nation’s children.

23. For more about the methods and
findings from this report, visit
EDCHOICE.ORG/SkillsGap
To contact the author,
email mcshane@edchoice.org.