Does Social Capital Travel? The Classroom Compositions of Teachers Who Change Assignments

• In Event: 34.052 - Teacher Mobility and Retention

Abstract

Research suggests that experienced, effective teachers leverage their high social capital to obtain more advantaged classroom compositions. However, whether this influence extends across grade-level and school boundaries is unclear. Using longitudinal state administrative data from Tennessee, we investigate whether the characteristics of students assigned to a teacher’s classroom are related to her status as a new-to-grade or new-to-school teacher. We find that teachers who switch grades within a school receive classroom compositions similar to their grade-level colleagues, but teachers who move to a new school are more likely to be assigned low-performing, low-income, and minority students. Our results suggest that accrued social capital transfers across grades but not across schools.

Authors

• Laura K. Rogers, Vanderbilt University - Peabody College

• Sy Doan, Vanderbilt University - Peabody College