Jim Dewey

The ineffectiveness of school inputs: a product of misspecification?

Abstract Two-thirds of education production function studies relating learning to school and parental inputs also include parental income. This confounds demand and production functions, since in demand functions income determines the school inputs used in the production function. In a comprehensive review of the literature, we show that with this misspecification significantly positive school input coefficients are 39% less common. Then, with Project TALENT student-level data from 1960 and pooled state data for 1987–1992, we examine the impact of including income with no other change in specification. This causes most school inputs to become less significant. Hausman tests suggest that in OLS regressions there is a correlation between the school input measures and the error term, perhaps due to the omission of a good measure of parental time with the student. This appears to bias the school input coefficients toward zero, but can be corrected with IV methods. [JEL I21, H52, H42]

Economic Analysis and the Design of Alternative-Route Teacher Education Programs

Few studies have addressed the effects of teacher education generally, no less the specific program elements necessary to prepare competent and caring teachers. As a result, to address teacher shortages in science, mathematics, and special education, alternatives to traditional preparation have been proposed, and their development has proceeded apace. In the absence of guidance from research, alternative program designs have dramatically varied, even on such fundamental considerations as program length and the amount of preparation trainees require before becoming teachers of record. However, research on teacher education is only one potential source of guidance for program design. In this article, the authors use economic research and theory to identify principles of effective design. Considerations include program location, candidate selection, program cost, financial support, program requirements, practice teaching, and mentorship. They use these principles to compare and contrast fast-track programs and programs for midcareer changers.

Cost Effectiveness of Alternative Route Special Education Teacher Preparation

In this study, the authors estimated costs of alternative route preparation to provide states a basis for allocating training funds to maximize production. Thirty-one special education alternative route program directors were interviewed and completed cost tables. Two hundred and twenty-four program graduates were also surveyed. The authors describe program characteristics, including costs; program content; and participant demographics, including employment history and future plans. Four program types are identified that vary by length, employment status, and cost, although all programs cost less than traditional preparation. Regardless of program type, participants were older than traditional college age, were likely to make more money teaching than in previous jobs, and expressed intent to remain in the field. The authors argue that paraprofessional step-up programs in particular hold great promise for special education.

Variability in Demand for Special Education Teachers: Indicators, Explanations, and Impacts

After decades of growth, the number of special education teachers (SETs) has begun to decline. In 2009, U.S. schools employed 13% fewer SETs than in 2006. The number of annual new hires of SETs also dropped dramatically in some states. The onset of these declines predated the economic downturn of 2008 and resulted in part from a steady decline since 2005 in the number of students with disabilities (SWD) served. We consider factors that may be contributing to declining demand for SETs, among them the number of SWD, service delivery, the economic downturn, and present supporting evidence. We also consider the potential impact of reduced demand on SET supply, teacher education, equitable distribution of teachers, and, most importantly, outcomes for SWD. We call for vigilance and monitoring of SET employment data to assure that all students receive the appropriate education to which they are entitled.

Explaining the Decline in Special Education Teacher Employment From 2005 to 2012

Demand for special education teachers grew continuously from the passage of Public Law 94-142 in 1975 through 2005, when this trend reversed. From 2005 to 2012, the number of special education teachers employed by U.S. schools declined by >17%. The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine factors that contributed to this decline. We parsed change in number of special education teachers employed into four constituent elements and found that these recent reductions were fueled by decreases in disability prevalence and the relative ratio of teachers to students in special versus general education, which favored the latter. These changes have important implications for teacher preparation programs’ efforts to adequately prepare special and general educators and for policies designed to improve teacher quality.