| Thomas DiPrete
Columbia University
Teacher effects on academic and social outcomes in elementary school
Numerous studies conclude that teacher effects on academic achievement are substantial in size. Education is about more than academic achievement, however, and we know very little about teachers' effectiveness in promoting students' social development. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), our proposed study will estimate teacher effects on social as well as academic outcomes using hierarchical linear modeling techniques. We will determine the extent to which teacher competencies in fostering social development are tightly or loosely coupled with teacher competencies in fostering academic development. We further will research the medium-term impact of social development in kindergarten and first grade on both social and academic outcomes in third grade. Finally, we will use empirical Bayes estimates of teacher effects to determine whether parents attempt to select teachers who produce better than average social outcomes, and whether parents systematically differ in the teacher qualities they prefer for their children. By identifying the characteristics associated with teachers' effectiveness in improving both academic and social outcomes, we will inform current policy debates over what it means to be a "highly qualified teacher."
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