Physics in High School and Two-year Colleges
These reports document the curriculum range and student enrollment trends in physics at the high school and two-year college level, as well as
the personal characteristics and academic backgrounds of physics teachers at these levels. They also examine teachers' experiences, instructional
practices, available resources and the impact of recent science education reforms on physics programs.
How to cite and extract our data
focus on Challenges High School Teachers Face (May 2012)
We examine issues regarding student preparation and motivation, funding for equipment and supplies, NCLB (No Child Left Behind), and isolation.
Teachers report that the area most lacking in student preparation is a student’s ability to think and pose questions scientifically. Most teachers are
either unsure about the impact of NCLB or think there has been no effect.
focus on High School Physics Teacher preparation (February 2012)
In this report we examine teachers' self-assessed level of preparation to teach physics and the activities they use in the classroom.
Teachers who have had a course in teaching physics are more likely to use participatory activities more (and lecture less) than those who have not.
focus on Turnover among High School Physics Teachers (October 2011)
Approximately 4% of teachers who taught at least one physics course said that they planned to retire at
the end of the academic year. In this report, we examine sources of “new” physics teachers. It turns out that
over half of the teachers teaching physics for the first time have prior high school teaching experience in
another subject. We also look at the aging of the physics teacher corps.
focus on Female Students in High School Physics (July 2011)
The number of girls taking physics in US high schools increased 161% between 1987 and 2009; the number of boys was up 88% over this same period.
In this report, we examine female students taking high school physics. We also look at female representation by type of physics course.
focus on Under-Represented Minorities in High School Physics (March 2011)
We examine physics taking by race and ethnicity. We also consider factors that affect physics taking. Differences in physics taking by race
are likely driven more by socioeconomic factors than by race and ethnicity.
Physics in US High Schools: Dispelling the Myths (January 2011)
Using data from several iterations of the high school survey, we examine several questions regarding high school physics in the US. Topics
addressed include the number of students taking physics, the types of physics classes the students take, academic credentials of high school
physics teachers, and whether or not one needs to have taken physics in high school to succeed in physics later in life. Susan White gave
this talk at the 2011 Winter meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) in Jacksonville, FL.
focus on Who Teaches High School Physics (November 2010)
During the 2008-09 school year, approximately 27,000 teachers in U.S. high schools taught at least one physics class. In this report, we
detail these teachers' academic backgrounds and demographics. We also examine where physics fits in their teaching assignments. About
one-third of the teachers teaching at least one high school physics course are women.
focus on High School Physics Textbooks (September 2010)
This report examines the most widely used physics textbooks for the various types of physics courses taught in U.S. high schools; the data
reveals the evolution in physics texts since 1987. We also provide teachers' ratings of these texts as used in the different classes.
focus on High School Physics Courses & Enrollments (August 2010)
This report examines student enrollments in high school physics during the 2008-09 academic year. We estimate that 1.35 million students took
physics in U.S. high schools that year. The growth in enrollment comes from more students taking conceptual physics, Physics First, honors
physics, AP physics, and second-year physics courses. We also see an increase in the physics-taking rate from 20% in 1987 to 37% for the
2008-09 year.
focus on High School Physics Availability (April 2010)
In the first report from the 2008-09 Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers, we examine the availability of physics in high schools
in each U.S. state. We consider factors that affect availability, including the size of the high school and whether the school is public or
private. This report includes maps that highlight states in which physics is more readily available and those in which it is less accessible.
Future reports will examine the number of students taking physics in U.S. high schools, the types of physics being taught,
and teacher and student demographics.
Reaching the Critical Mass: Highlights from the 2005 Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers
We present findings from the latest AIP Survey of High School Physics Teachers.
Highlights (HTML) | Highlights
 | Full report
Physics for All? A Million and Counting!
Fully one-third of recent high-school graduates have taken physics. Much of the increase comes from nontraditional courses geared toward students
not headed for careers in science or technology.
Article
| Physics Today homepage
Copyright 2006 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of
the author and the American Institute of Physics.
State High School Science Requirements and Physics Enrollments
A look at the impact of increased science requirements by states on physics enrollments, twenty years after the publication of
A Nation at Risk raised awareness of the inadequate preparation of high school graduates in science and math.
Highlights (HTML)
High School Teacher Certification
List of contacts for high school teacher certification information by state.
Certification Contacts
Broadening the Base: High School Physics Education at the Turn of a New Century
Findings of a 2001 nationwide survey of secondary school physics teachers. Statistical data on faculty, students, courses and textbooks.
Full report
Background and Professional Qualifications of High School Physics Teachers
This article, reprinted from the February 2000 issue of The Physics Teacher (V 38:2, 98-104) with the permission of The American
Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), discusses the academic preparation and current specialization of physics teachers at public and private
high schools across the nation.
Article
TIMSS-R Science and Math Achievement Results
The study which was conducted in 1999 tested students in 38 nations on their knowledge of science and math concepts. This study allows for a
comparison of differing levels of achievement internationally and allows for comparisons with the International Mathematics and Science Study
conducted four years earlier. In 1995, the study included students in the 4th, 8th and 12th grades, while this round covers only 8th graders.
In addition to student testing, teachers and schools were surveyed about teaching practices, training and school policies.
Highlights (HTML)
Additional websites of Interest
National Science Teachers Association
AAPT: American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT Teaching Resources
ComPADRE: Physics and Astronomy Education Communities
ThePhysicsFront: Teaching Resources
50 States' Certification Requirements
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