We examine the measurement and prediction of worker productivity using a sample of teachers and school principals. We find that principals' evaluations are positively associated with teachers' estimated contributions to students' test scores (value-added), and are better predictors of teacher...

In this paper I use a rich longitudinal data base from Florida to compare the characteristics of alternatively certified teachers with their traditionally prepared colleagues. I then analyze the relative effectiveness of teachers who enter the profession through different pathways by estimating...

Teacher turnover has adverse consequences for student achievement and imposes large financial costs for schools. Some have argued that high-stakes testing may lower teachers’ satisfaction with their jobs and could be a major contributor to teacher attrition. In this paper, we exploit changes...

In this paper we consider the challenges and implications of controlling for school contextual bias when modeling teacher preparation program effects. Because teachers from any one preparation program are hired in more than one school and teachers are not randomly distributed across schools,...

We analyze the impact of both pre-service preparation and in-service formal and informal training on the ability of teachers to promote academic achievement among students with disabilities. We employ rich student-level longitudinal data from Florida over a five-year period to estimate...

We employ individual-level panel data on students with disabilities in Florida to determine the relationship between high school teacher quality and the likelihood a student drops out and the type of diploma they receive if they do finish high school. Our data include five cohorts of 9th graders...