School Composition, Teacher Quality, and Teacher Retention

• In Event: 435 - Section on Sociology of Education Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 09. The Role and Influence of Teachers

Abstract

The specific purpose of this project is to provide an in-depth examination of whether characteristics of the student body have implications for the teaching staff within schools. This research situates itself within a well-developed literature on the sociology of education and racial stratification. However, I offer a novel contribution by not only evaluating the effects of racial and class composition on the quality of teachers in schools but also the proportion immigrant and interactions between race, class and immigrant status. Education policy has placed more focus on school funding rather than recruitment of quality teachers. Yet the importance of teachers has been shown in a number of empirical studies. Using administrative data collected in North Carolina public schools, I observe patterns and trends both within and across schools over time.

Author

• Amie Bostic, Duke University