Who Enters Teaching? Encouraging Evidence That the Status of Teaching Is Improving

Source: Educational Researcher, 43(9), December 2014, p. 444-453.

This article analyzes 25 years of data on the academic ability of teachers in New York State.
It documents that since 1999 the academic ability of both individuals certified and those entering teaching has steadily increased.

These gains are widespread and have resulted in a substantial narrowing of the differences in teacher academic ability between high- and low-poverty schools and between White and minority teachers.
The authors interpret these gains as evidence that the status of teaching is improving.