Spread Too Thin: The Effects of Teacher Specialization on Student Achievement. EdWorkingPaper No. 21-477

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Spread Too Thin: The Effects of Teacher Specialization on Student Achievement. EdWorkingPaper No. 21-477
Language: English
Authors: Hwang, NaYoung, Kisida, Brian, Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Source: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. 2021.
Availability: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: AISR_Info@brown.edu; Web site: http://www.annenberginstitute.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 32
Publication Date: 2021
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 4
Intermediate Grades
Grade 5
Middle Schools
Early Childhood Education
Grade 3
Primary Education
Descriptors: Elementary School Teachers, Specialization, Teacher Effectiveness, Mathematics Instruction, Reading Instruction, Student Characteristics, Teacher Characteristics, Attendance, Student Behavior, Discipline, Mathematics Teachers, Reading Teachers, Mathematics Achievement, Reading Achievement, Educational Improvement, Institutional Characteristics, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 3
Geographic Terms: Indiana
Abstract: Although the majority of elementary school teachers are in self-contained classrooms and teach all major subjects, a growing number of teachers specialize in teaching fewer subjects to higher numbers of students. We use administrative data from Indiana to estimate the effect of teacher specialization on teacher and school effectiveness in elementary schools. We find that teacher specialization leads to lower teaching effectiveness in math and reading, and the negative effects are larger when teaching students who are more likely to experience difficulties in school. Moreover, we find no evidence that increasing the proportion of teacher specialists at the school level generates improvements in indicators of school quality.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2022
Accession Number: ED616725
Database: ERIC
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