Weak Markets, Strong Teachers

Markus Nagler, Marc Piopiunik () and Martin R. West

VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy from Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association

Abstract: 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.

JEL-codes: H75 I20 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ure
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:vfsc15:112949

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