Dive Brief:
- A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that teachers hired during periods of economic downturn are more effective at increasing student test scores than those hired during times of abundance.
- The study looked at fourth grade test scores in Florida during the major 2008 recession, as well as a smaller one in the early 2000s, and found that the differences could not be explained by factors like experience, training, or age differences.
- But there was a catch: Teachers hired during recessions were also more likely to leave.
Dive Insight:
As education writer Stephen Sawchuck wrote in Education Week, "The idea that more people want to enter teaching relative to other, lesser-paid or less-stable professions during tough economic times makes perfect common sense." But he also points out that the study's implications for districts are less clear, since recessions also bring with them a host of negative consequences. The study's authors suggest paying teachers more up front, as a way to mimic the financial incentives of the recession.
It appears that economic forces may play quiet, but important roles in the way the teaching profession works. Citing the work of education researcher Paul Bruno, Sawchuck points out that the more stable economy may be influencing teacher evaluations. As job opportunities grow, principals may be worried about replacing teachers and may grade their current staff more positively. The recession may also have temporarily boosted teachers' academic abilities, said the finding of another recent study.