I have long heard the argument that one reason for the decline in teacher quality in U.S. schools (if in fact there has been such a decline) was the feminist movement. The argument goes like this: until the mid-1960′s or so, teaching was one of the few career paths wide open to women; as feminism opened up opportunities for women in other fields, many bright women followed those opportunities; the remaining pool of female teachers since then is therefore of lesser quality.
Like I said, I had long heard that argument, but couldn’t find any research on the subject. But thanks to Richard Morin’s always-excellent “Unconventional Wisdom” WashPost column (2nd item), here’s a new paper by Marigee Bacolod at Cal-Irvine, making that very argument.
Bacolod’s solution? Raise teacher salaries, of course.
(HT: Becky Roser)
[ADDENDUM: When I wrote above that I "couldn't find any research on the subject," I should have also written "though I never tried very hard." If I had, I would have run across at least this pair of papers by Sean Corcoran, William N. Evans, and Robert Schwab: "The Changing Quality of Teachers over the Past Four Decades" (from The Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 23(3), Summer 2004, 449-470) and "Changing Labor Market Opportunities for Women and the Quality of Teachers 1957-2000" (from the American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings, May 2004, 94(2), 23-235.)]
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My wife used to be a teacher. She made better grades than I ever did in college, has a passion for helping kids, and is much more driven and achievement oriented by nature. I happened to fall into a Management Information Systems because I didn’t know what else to do with myself. When we both got out of school, my starting salary was 50% higher than hers. Her salary would finally catch up to my starting salary only after 20 years of service. In addition, she would bring stacks of paper home to grade, make lesson plans after hours, and spend tons of her own money for classroom supplies. I basically put in 40 hours a week (and still do) and coast home. Needless to say, she is now a statistic reflecting the enormous attrition rate by teachers. Without substantial changes, it may eventually follow the trend of the Catholic priesthood after Vatican II.
My wife used to be a teacher. She made better grades than I ever did in college, has a passion for helping kids, and is much more driven and achievement oriented by nature. I happened to fall into a Management Information Systems because I didn’t know what else to do with myself. When we both got out of school, my starting salary was 50% higher than hers. Her salary would finally catch up to my starting salary only after 20 years of service. In addition, she would bring stacks of paper home to grade, make lesson plans after hours, and spend tons of her own money for classroom supplies. I basically put in 40 hours a week (and still do) and coast home. Needless to say, she is now a statistic reflecting the enormous attrition rate by teachers. Without substantial changes, it may eventually follow the trend of the Catholic priesthood after Vatican II.
Curious fact: Bureau of Labor Statistics report teachers have very high hourly wages on average. What the educational system needs is a way to employ teachers year round. Reducing vacation from 16 weeks to 2-4 weeks would effectively give all teachers 25% raises.
Curious fact: Bureau of Labor Statistics report teachers have very high hourly wages on average. What the educational system needs is a way to employ teachers year round. Reducing vacation from 16 weeks to 2-4 weeks would effectively give all teachers 25% raises.
oddTodd, do you remember what school was like? I know I certainly wouldn’t want to be around children who are like what I was like for 48-50 weeks a year.
While the traditional summer vacation is a relic from our agrarian past, I think the sheer torment that that many children can cause is reason enough to try to keep it.
Besides, do you think school districts would find more resources for the increased salaries just because they waved their wands and increased the number of hours worked? Many districts in CA have gone to year-round school without subsequent 25% raises in pay. These are salaried positions, after all. In that case, it just amounts to a reduction in hourly wage and the loss of a major perq.
oddTodd, do you remember what school was like? I know I certainly wouldn’t want to be around children who are like what I was like for 48-50 weeks a year.
While the traditional summer vacation is a relic from our agrarian past, I think the sheer torment that that many children can cause is reason enough to try to keep it.
Besides, do you think school districts would find more resources for the increased salaries just because they waved their wands and increased the number of hours worked? Many districts in CA have gone to year-round school without subsequent 25% raises in pay. These are salaried positions, after all. In that case, it just amounts to a reduction in hourly wage and the loss of a major perq.
I’m a public school teacher who used to be a management consultant. (I have a finance MBA and an MS in Computer Science.) Teaching in an inner-city school is (in my opinion of course) a comparatively stressful job. The only reason I can afford to do it and pay rent in NYC is that I have some money saved up. “Reducing vacation from 16 weeks to 2-4 weeks” as a reader above says, is a surefire way to make me go back to consulting.
I’m a public school teacher who used to be a management consultant. (I have a finance MBA and an MS in Computer Science.) Teaching in an inner-city school is (in my opinion of course) a comparatively stressful job. The only reason I can afford to do it and pay rent in NYC is that I have some money saved up. “Reducing vacation from 16 weeks to 2-4 weeks” as a reader above says, is a surefire way to make me go back to consulting.