Hiring Effective Teachers

We test whether specific factors visible at the time of hire can predict a teacher’s effectiveness in the classroom. Our data is from a large urban school district in the Midwest from grades 1-12. To measure effectiveness, we use a combination of value-added in math and reading, student surveys, and teacher evaluations using standardized ratings of instructional effectiveness. Specifically we determine whether two observable factors, student teaching experience and teacher seniority date, predict a teacher’s effectiveness. We find evidence that those who student taught in the district where they applied are more effective than the general pool of applicants. The sample size is modest and we will need to gather more data for a statistically significant result. We also find that teachers who began teaching in August, as opposed to other months of the year, score higher in multiple measures of effectiveness with some statistical significance.