Weak Markets, Strong Teachers

Konferenzbeitrag

Can policymakers hire more effective teachers by increasing the relative economic benefits of teaching? We investigate this question by exploiting business cycle conditions at career start as a source of exogenous variation in the outside labor market opportunities of potential teachers. Using administrative data on 33,000 teachers in Florida s public schools, we find that teachers who entered the profession during recessions have significantly higher math value-added measures than teachers who entered the profession during non-recessionary periods. We explain these findings with a simple Roy model of occupational choice. Results are not driven by differential attrition or by any single recession.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Beiträge zur Jahrestagung des Vereins für Socialpolitik 2015: Ökonomische Entwicklung - Theorie und Politik - Session: Labor - Empirical Studies 3 ; No. C16-V1

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity ; Education and Research Institutions: General ; State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Nagler, Markus ; Piopiunik, Marc ; West, Martin R.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (when): 2015

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/112949
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET