ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Compositional Effect of Rigorous Teacher Evaluation on Workforce Quality. Working Paper 168
Author: Cullen, Julie Berry
Date: 2017-07-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Teacher Competencies,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Persistence,Teacher Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Low Achievement,School Districts,Educational Policy,Standardized Tests,Scores,Academic Achievement,Faculty Mobility

Improving public sector workforce quality is challenging in sectors such as education where worker productivity is difficult to assess and manager incentives are muted by political and bureaucratic constraints. In this paper, we study how providing improved information to principals about teacher effectiveness and encouraging them to use the information in personnel decisions affects the composition of teacher turnovers. Our setting is the Houston Independent School District, which recently implemented a rigorous teacher evaluation system. Prior to the new system, teacher effectiveness was negatively correlated with district exit and we show that the policy significantly strengthened this relationship, primarily by increasing the relative likelihood of exit for teachers in the bottom quintile of the quality distribution. Low-performing teachers working in low-achieving schools were especially likely to leave. However, despite the success, the implied change to the quality of the workforce overall is too small to have a detectable impact on student achievement.
How Teachers Respond to Pension System Incentives: New Estimates and Policy Applications. Working Paper 147
Author: Ni, Shawn
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Retirement Benefits,Teacher Retirement,Incentives,Public School Teachers,Models,Goodness of Fit,Statistical Analysis

Rising costs of public employee pension plans are a source of fiscal stress in many cities and states and have led to calls for reform. To assess the economic consequences of plan changes it is important to have reliable statistical models of employee retirement behavior. The authors estimate a structural model of teacher retirement using administrative panel data. A Stock-Wise option value model provides a good fit to the data and predicts well out-of-sample on the effects of pension enhancements during the 1990s. The structural model is used to simulate the effect of alternatives to the current defined benefit plan.
Do Master&apos;s Degrees Matter? Advanced Degrees, Career Paths, and the Effectiveness of Teachers. Working Paper 136
Author: Ladd, Helen F.
Date: 2015-08-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Masters Degrees,Career Development,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Background,Outcomes of Education,Secondary School Teachers,Educational Trends,Trend Analysis,Secondary School Students,Attendance Patterns,Scores,Teacher Persistence,Teacher Salaries,Faculty Mobility

This study uses detailed administrative data on teachers and students from the state of North Carolina to revisit the empirical evidence on master's degrees, with attention to teachers at the middle and high school levels. It provides descriptive information on which types of teachers obtain master's degrees, for which subjects, at which institutions, and during what phase of their career. The study estimates returns to master's degrees using teacher fixed effects to control for time-invariant characteristics of teachers, thus separating the effects of teacher decisions to get an advanced degree from the effects of having one. Even with this careful attention to selection bias, we confirm the findings of prior studies showing that teachers with master's degrees are no more effective than those without. The only consistently positive effect of attaining a master's degree emerging from this study relates not to student test scores but rather to lower student absentee rates in middle school.
The Efficiency Implications of Using Proportional Evaluations to Shape the Teaching Workforce. Working Paper 106
Author: Koedel, Cory
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Teacher Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Context Effect,Teacher Competencies,Policy,Institutional Characteristics,Poverty,Academic Achievement,Teacher Effectiveness,Labor Turnover,Teacher Persistence

We examine the efficiency implications of imposing proportionality in teacher evaluation systems. Proportional evaluations force comparisons to be between equally-circumstanced teachers. We contrast proportional evaluations with global evaluations, which compare teachers to each other regardless of teaching circumstance. We consider a policy where administrators use the ratings from the evaluation system to help shape the teaching workforce, and define efficiency in terms of student achievement. Our analysis indicates that proportionality can be imposed in teacher evaluation systems without efficiency costs under a wide range of evaluation and estimation conditions. Proportionality is efficiency-enhancing in some cases. These findings are notable given that proportional teacher evaluations offer a number of other policy benefits.
Can UTeach? Assessing the Relative Effectiveness of STEM Teachers. Working Paper 173
Author: Backes, Ben
Date: 2018-02-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: STEM Education,Science Teachers,Mathematics Teachers,Teacher Effectiveness,Program Effectiveness,Teacher Education Programs,Middle School Students,High School Students,Mathematics Tests,Science Tests,Scores

UTeach is a well-known, university-based program designed to increase the number of high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers in the workforce. The UTeach program was originally developed by faculty at the University of Texas at Austin but has rapidly spread and is now available at 44 universities in 21 states; it is expected to produce more than 9,000 math and science teachers by 2020. Despite substantial investment and rapid program diffusion, there is little evidence to date about the effectiveness of UTeach graduates. Using administrative data from the state of Texas, we measure UTeach impacts on student test scores in math and science in middle schools and high schools. We find that students taught by UTeach teachers perform significantly better on end-of-grade tests in math and end-of-course tests in math and science by 5% to 12% of a standard deviation on the test, depending on grade and subject. The effect is larger for the founding site at the University of Texas at Austin than for replication UTeach sites, with estimated upper bounds of additional months of learning for students taught by UTeach Austin graduates of 4.0 months in high school math and 5.7 months in high school science. Controlling for the selectivity of the undergraduate institution appears to explain the differential between Austin and replication UTeach sites, but not the overall difference between UTeach and non-UTeach teachers. [Financial support was provided from the Institute of Education Sciences to Southwest Educational Development Corporation, an affiliate of American Institutes of Research.]
Teach for America Impact Estimates on Nontested Student Outcomes. Working Paper 146
Author: Backes, Benjamin
Date: 2015-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Alternative Teacher Certification,Program Effectiveness,Teacher Effectiveness,Outcomes of Education,Public Schools,Productivity,Elementary School Teachers,Middle School Teachers,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,Attendance,Suspension

Recent evidence on teacher productivity suggests teachers meaningfully influence noncognitive student outcomes that are commonly overlooked by narrowly focusing on student test scores. These effects may show similar levels of variation across the teacher workforce and are not significantly correlated with value-added test score gains. Despite a large number of studies investigating the TFA effect on math and English achievement, little is known about nontested outcomes. Using administrative data from Miami-Dade County Public Schools, we investigate the relationship between being in a TFA classroom and non-test student outcomes. We validate our use of nontest student outcomes to assess differences in teacher productivity using the quasi-experimental teacher switching methods of Chetty, Friedman, and Rockoff (2014) and find multiple cases in which these tests reject the validity of candidate nontest outcomes. Among the cases deemed valid, we find suggestive evidence that students taught by TFA teachers in elementary and middle school were less likely to miss school due to unexcused absences and suspensions (compared to non-TFA teachers in the same school), although point estimates are very small. Other nontest outcomes were found to be valid but showed no evidence of a TFA effect.
Incorporating End-of-Course Exam Timing into Educational Performance Evaluations. Working Paper 137
Author: Parsons, Eric
Date: 2015-08-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Tests,Exit Examinations,Scheduling,Student Evaluation,School Policy,Academic Achievement,Instructional Effectiveness,Equations (Mathematics),Algebra,Mathematics Tests,Grades (Scholastic)

There is increased policy interest in extending test-based evaluations in K-12 education to include student achievement in high school. High school achievement is typically measured by performance on end-of-course exams (EOCs), which test course-specific standards in a variety of subjects. However, unlike standardized tests in the early grades, students take EOCs at different points in their schooling careers. The timing of the test is a choice variable presumably determined by input from administrators, students and parents. Recent research indicates that school and district policies that determine when students take particular courses can have important consequences for achievement and subsequent outcomes like advanced course taking. We develop an approach for modeling EOC test performance that disentangles the influence of school and district policies regarding the timing of course taking from other factors. After separating out the timing issue, better measures of the quality of instruction provided by districts, schools and teachers can be obtained. Our approach also offers diagnostic value because it separates out the influence of school and district course-timing policies from other factors that determine student achievement.
The Persistence of Preschool Effects from Early Childhood through Adolescence
Author: Ansari, Arya
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Preschool Education,Educational Benefits,Middle Class,Preschool Children,Academic Achievement,Achievement Tests,Scores,Probability,Academic Ability,Interpersonal Competence,Children,Longitudinal Studies,Surveys,Kindergarten,Grade 1,Grade 3,Grade 5,Grade 8

Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort of 1998 (n = 15,070), this study used propensity scores to examine the short- and long-term academic and psychosocial benefits of preschool education for a diverse sample of middle-class children. Compared with children who attended informal care at age 4, preschool attendees consistently performed better on achievement tests from age 5 through early adolescence, but exhibited less optimal psychosocial skills. These negative behavioral effects of preschool were concentrated among children who attended preschool for 20 or more hours per week, but otherwise, there was little evidence of heterogeneity as a function of program type or child- and family-characteristics. The long-term academic advantages of preschool were, however, largely explained by their positive effects on academic skills early in formal schooling and there was evidence for convergence in children's academic test scores, which was partially attributed to the differences in children's social skills during the early elementary school years. [This is the online version of an article published in &quot;Journal of Educational Psychology.&quot;]
Policy Paper on Public Responsibility, Governance and Financing of Higher Education
Author: European Students' Union (ESU) (Belgium)
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Opinion Papers
Subjects: Higher Education,Governance,Educational Finance,Sustainable Development,Commercialization,School Business Relationship,International Trade,Global Approach,Values,Collegiality,Leadership,Financial Support,Real Estate,Tuition,Educational Benefits,Student Financial Aid

The European Students' Union (ESU) believes that open access to all levels of education is the cornerstone of a socially, culturally and democratically inclusive society and a pre-requisite for individual and societal development and well-being. ESU sees higher education as a human right, guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Addressing higher education as a commodity and students as consumers who purchase the service goes against the fundamental social values and norms attributed to higher education. Students should be treated as members of the higher education community, sharing the responsibility and rights to govern this central institution of our civilization. This position paper focuses on: (1) Higher education as public good and public responsibility (education for sustainable development; commodification; higher education-industry partnerships; economistic and quantitative rhetoric; international trade; commodification and internationalization; and discussion about values); (2) Governance of higher education institutions (conservative approach; new public management; modern collegiality; external representatives; leadership and intersectionality; and leadership and training); and (3) Financing of higher education (background; funding gap; financing of research and training through higher education institutions; optimization of funding of higher education institutions; input factors; performance based funding; property; tuition fee free education; benefits of education; and financing students).
Does Memory Contribute to Reading Comprehension in Adults Who Struggle with Reading?
Author: Talwar, Amani
Date: 2018-08-29
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Memory,Reading Comprehension,Adults,Reading Difficulties,Short Term Memory,Adult Literacy,Foreign Countries,Reading Fluency,Vocabulary,Age

This study explored the relations between reading comprehension and two memory capacities, short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM), for adults who read between the third and eighth grade levels. With a sample of 407 adults from two countries, we computed correlations among measures and conducted hierarchical regression and commonality analyses for reading comprehension. Reading comprehension had moderate positive correlations with STM and WM. Additionally, STM and WM jointly accounted for approximately 19% of the reading comprehension variance and uniquely contributed approximately 4% and 7% of the variance, respectively. The predictive utility of memory to reading comprehension was greatly reduced after controlling for age, word reading, fluency, and oral vocabulary. WM appears to be a slightly stronger predictor of reading comprehension than STM for struggling adult readers. However, the overall contributions of memory capacities to reading comprehension are much smaller than those of reading-related skills. [This is the online version of an article published in &quot;Journal of Research in Reading.&quot;]
Pensions and Late Career Teacher Retention. Working Paper 164
Author: Kim, Dongwoo
Date: 2017-07-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Retirement Benefits,Teacher Retirement,Teacher Persistence,Experienced Teachers,Public School Teachers,Incentives,Teacher Salaries,Cost Effectiveness,Elementary Secondary Education

A vast research literature is devoted to analyzing causes of and potential remedies for early-career teacher attrition. However, much less attention has been paid to late-career attrition among experienced teachers, which is driven primarily by retirement plan incentives. Although there is some variation across states, it is generally the case that late-career teachers retire at much younger ages than their professional counterparts. Moreover, given the well-documented returns to teaching experience, late-career exits are on average more costly to students in K-12 schools than early-career exits. This study uses structural estimates from a dynamic retirement model to simulate the effect of targeted retention bonuses for senior teachers rated as effective or teaching in high-need fields. While the cost per incremental year of instruction is expensive in the short run, it declines over time. Moreover, because labor supply decisions are forward-looking, a temporary bonus has much smaller effects than a permanent one. These findings highlight the value of stability in policies aimed at extending teachers' careers. Overall our results suggest that carefully-targeted retention bonuses can be useful tool in raising the quality of the teaching workforce and closing achievement gaps.
Entrepreneurial Women Find Success through B-School
Author: Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC)
Date: 2018-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Females,Business Schools,Entrepreneurship,College Students,Business Administration Education,Occupational Aspiration,Majors (Students),Outcomes of Education,Alumni,Student Motivation,Satisfaction,Success

Every year, a growing number of women break out on their own as entrepreneurs. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, female total entrepreneurial activity has increased by 10 percent in the last two years, and the gender gap in entrepreneurial participation has narrowed by 5 percent. For many of these women, a graduate business degree was a critical step in their development, empowering them with the skills, resources, and connections needed to launch their own businesses. This data brief shares details about aspiring female entrepreneurs in the business school candidate pipeline and highlights the professional and personal success many alumnae have found through starting their own business. Among women who registered on mba.com in 2017, 22 percent say their career goal is to be self-employed as an entrepreneur, up from 16 percent in 2010. In recent years, business schools have expanded their offerings to connect entrepreneurially-minded students with the resources they need for success. After graduation, most alumnae entrepreneurs first worked for a company before launching their own venture, and entrepreneurial activity among alumnae increases with time removed from graduation. Most alumnae entrepreneurs find professional success and satisfaction, and most agree that their business school experience prepared them for their chosen career.
Pension Structure and Employee Turnover: Evidence from a Large Public Pension System. Working Paper 142
Author: Goldhaber, Dan
Date: 2015-09-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Retirement Benefits,Labor Turnover,Public Sector,Employees,Teacher Retirement,Labor Market,Decision Making,Persistence,Probability,Enrollment

Public pension systems in many U.S. states face large funding shortfalls. Movement toward defined contribution (DC) pension structures may reduce the likelihood of future shortfalls. We address some limitations of the existing literature by studying public-sector employees who are enrolled in either a defined benefit (DB) plan or hybrid DB-DC plan, and who at some points have been able to choose between these plans. We find little evidence that the introduction of the hybrid plan increased employee turnover and that turnover is significantly lower among those who transferred from the DB plan to the hybrid plan.
The Strategic System Snapshot: Helping School System Leaders Maximize Scarce Resources to Prepare Every Child for Tomorrow
Author: Education Resource Strategies
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Strategic Planning,Leaders,School Districts,Comparative Analysis,Resource Allocation,Academic Achievement,Best Practices

Building on more than a decade of experience working with a diverse array of school systems, our extensive collection of district data, and published research on what works best for students, Education Resource Strategies (ERS) has developed a diagnostic that can guide district leaders from assessment to strategic planning. The Strategic System Snapshot is an integrated, comprehensive assessment of district conditions and resource use, compared to peer districts and research-based best practice. The Snapshot provides a rich fact base about how people, time, and money are allocated at the district and school level, as well as how state and district policies and structures encourage or hamper school-level success. This fact base can serve as foundation for discussion and a baseline against which to measure progress. The Snapshot helps leaders answer key questions that can inform district priorities and key decisions.
The Impact of Incentives to Recruit and Retain Teachers in &quot;Hard-to-Staff&quot; Subjects: An Analysis of the Florida Critical Teacher Shortage Program. Working Paper 141
Author: Feng, Li
Date: 2015-09-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Teacher Recruitment,Teacher Persistence,State Programs,Teacher Shortage,Debt (Financial),Tuition,Costs,Teacher Certification,Incentives,Secondary School Teachers,Loan Repayment,Public School Teachers

We investigated the effects of a statewide program designed to increase the supply of teachers in &quot;hard-to-staff&quot; areas. The Florida Critical Teacher Shortage Program (FCTSP) had three elements: (a) it provided loan forgiveness to teachers who were certified and taught in designated shortage areas; (b) it compensated teachers for the tuition cost of taking courses to become certified in a designated shortage area; and (c) for a single year, it gave bonuses to high school teachers who were certified and taught in a designated subject area. Employing a difference-in-difference estimator, we find that the loan forgiveness program decreased attrition of teachers in shortage areas, although the effects varied by subject. Allowing for variation in the size of payments, we find that the effects were more pronounced when loan-forgiveness payments were more generous. A triple-difference estimate indicated the bonus program also substantially reduced the likelihood of teachers leaving the public school sector. A panel probit analysis reveals that the tuition-reimbursement program had modest positive effects on the likelihood a teacher would become certified in a designated shortage area. We also present qualitative evidence that loan-forgiveness recipients were of higher quality (as measured by value added) than nonrecipients who taught in the same subject but were not certified and thus ineligible.
Teacher Turnover, Teacher Quality and Student Achievement in DCPS. Working Paper 153
Author: Adnot, Melinda
Date: 2016-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Faculty Mobility,Teacher Effectiveness,Academic Achievement,Public School Teachers,Outcomes of Education,Teacher Evaluation,Performance Based Assessment

In practice, teacher turnover appears to have negative effects on school quality as measured by student performance. However, some simulations suggest that turnover can instead have large, positive effects under a policy regime in which low-performing teachers can be accurately identified and replaced with more effective teachers. This study examines this question by evaluating the effects of teacher turnover on student achievement under IMPACT, the unique performance-assessment and incentive system in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). Employing a quasi-experimental design based on data from the first year years of IMPACT, we find that, on average, DCPS replaced teachers who left with teachers who increased student achievement by 0.08 SD in math. When we isolate the effects of lower-performing teachers who were induced to leave DCPS for poor performance, we find that student achievement improves by larger and statistically significant amounts (i.e., 0.14 SD in reading and 0.21 SD in math). In contrast, the effect of exits by teachers not sanctioned under IMPACT is typically negative but not statistically significant.