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Teacher Preparation Programs and Teacher Quality: Are There Real Differences Across Programs?

Author

Listed:
  • Cory Koedel

    (University of Missouri, Columbia)

  • Eric Parsons

    (University of Missouri, Columbia)

  • Michael Podgursky

    (University of Missouri, Columbia)

  • Mark Ehlert

    (University of Missouri, Columbia)

Abstract

We compare teacher preparation programs in Missouri based on the effectiveness of their graduates in the classroom. The differences in effectiveness between teachers from different preparation programs are much smaller than has been suggested in previous work. In fact, virtually all of the variation in teacher effectiveness comes from within-program differences between teachers. Prior research has overstated differences in teacher performance across preparation programs by failing to properly account for teacher sampling.

Suggested Citation

  • Cory Koedel & Eric Parsons & Michael Podgursky & Mark Ehlert, 2015. "Teacher Preparation Programs and Teacher Quality: Are There Real Differences Across Programs?," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 10(4), pages 508-534, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:edfpol:v:10:y:2015:i:4:p:508-534
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bouguen, Adrien, 2016. "Adjusting content to individual student needs: Further evidence from an in-service teacher training program," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 90-112.
    2. von Hippel, Paul T. & Bellows, Laura, 2018. "How much does teacher quality vary across teacher preparation programs? Reanalyses from six states," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 298-312.
    3. Antecol, Heather & Eren, Ozkan & Ozbeklik, Serkan, 2013. "The effect of Teach for America on the distribution of student achievement in primary school: Evidence from a randomized experiment," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 113-125.
    4. Goldhaber, Dan & Liddle, Stephanie & Theobald, Roddy, 2013. "The gateway to the profession: Assessing teacher preparation programs based on student achievement," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 29-44.
    5. von Hippel, Paul T. & Bellows, Laura & Osborne, Cynthia & Lincove, Jane Arnold & Mills, Nick, 2016. "Teacher quality differences between teacher preparation programs: How big? How reliable? Which programs are different?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 31-45.
    6. James G. MacKinnon, 2019. "How cluster-robust inference is changing applied econometrics," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 52(3), pages 851-881, August.
    7. Gershenson, Seth, 2021. "Identifying and Producing Effective Teachers," IZA Discussion Papers 14096, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Olga Yanushkevichiene & Romanas Yanushkevichius & Marilena Aura Din, 2016. "Some Controversies On The Statistical Methods Used In The Educational Research," Romanian Economic Business Review, Romanian-American University, vol. 10(2), pages 275-284, December.
    9. Kata Mihaly & Daniel McCaffrey & Tim R. Sass & J. R. Lockwood, 2013. "Where You Come From or Where You Go? Distinguishing Between School Quality and the Effectiveness of Teacher Preparation Program Graduates," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 8(4), pages 459-493, October.
    10. Koedel, Cory & Mihaly, Kata & Rockoff, Jonah E., 2015. "Value-added modeling: A review," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 180-195.
    11. Backes, Ben & Goldhaber, Dan & Cade, Whitney & Sullivan, Kate & Dodson, Melissa, 2018. "Can UTeach? Assessing the relative effectiveness of STEM teachers," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 184-198.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    education; policy; preparation programs; teacher training;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A - General Economics and Teaching
    • B - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology
    • E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
    • I - Health, Education, and Welfare
    • K - Law and Economics
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects

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