Lost in Translation? Teacher Training and Outcomes in High School Economics Classes

31 Pages Posted: 12 Mar 2012

See all articles by Robert G. Valletta

Robert G. Valletta

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Jody Hoff

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

Jane S. Lopus

California State University, East Bay - Department of Economics

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Date Written: March 12, 2012

Abstract

Using data on 24 teachers and 982 students from a 2006 survey of California high school economics classes, we assess the effects of student and teacher characteristics on student achievement. We estimate value-added models of outcomes on multiple choice and essay exams, with matched classroom pairs for each teacher enabling random effects and fixed-effects estimation. Students’ own and peer GPAs and their attitudes towards economics have the largest effects on value-added scores. We also find a substantial impact of specialized teacher experience and college-level coursework in Economics, although the effects of the latter are positive for the multiple choice test and negative for the essay test.

Keywords: economic education, teacher training

JEL Classification: A21, I21

Suggested Citation

Valletta, Robert G. and Hoff, Jody and Lopus, Jane S., Lost in Translation? Teacher Training and Outcomes in High School Economics Classes (March 12, 2012). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2020745 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2020745

Robert G. Valletta (Contact Author)

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco ( email )

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IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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Jody Hoff

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco ( email )

101 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States
415-974-3230 (Phone)
451-974-2417 (Fax)

Jane S. Lopus

California State University, East Bay - Department of Economics ( email )

25800 Carlos Bee Blvd.
Hayward, CA 94542
United States
510-885-3140 (Phone)
510-656-8871 (Fax)

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