One hundred and twenty-two students at Virginia Tech who had completed teacher certification requirements in science and/or mathematics from 1980 to 1986 were surveyed to determine their current employment status, and if not currently teaching, then what reforms in the conditions of teaching might encourage them to return to or enter teaching. Opinions were solicited from three groups: current teachers, those who had left teaching, and those who had never taught.

Data were reported in four categories: general demographics of all groups, importance of work satisfaction for all groups, modifications in the conditions of teaching necessary to entice those not currently teaching to return to or enter teaching, and opinions of current teachers on how to improve recruitment and retention of qualified science and mathematics teachers.

It was determined that the general demographics of the individuals surveyed conformed to general descriptions of teachers in current literature with the exception that the parents of Virginia Tech graduates were more highly educated and tended to hold professional and semiprofessional positions in higher percentages. No significant differences were determined among current teachers, those who left teaching, and those who had never taught in regard to opinions of work satisfaction in teaching.

Lack of administrative support, poor student discipline, and low salaries were factors involved with decisions not to teach. Others left teaching to raise a family. Improvements in working conditions that would encourage non-teachers to teach include improvement of student discipline, reduction of class size, removal of incompetent teachers, reduction of teacher isolation, reduction of stress, and the improvement of the physical environment.

Almost 60% of individuals not currently teaching would teach if offered a suitable position. The majority of current teachers believe that raising teachers' salaries would be the most important improvement to increase recruitment and retention of teachers, however, beginning teachers' salaries compared favorably with those of individuals employed outside of education. Almost two out of three current teachers indicated they planned to leave teaching within five or more years.