Good teachers play a key role in the success of disadvantaged students
Qualified teachers can help disadvantaged students achieve education, says a new study by the ifo institute. “The good news is: bad starting opportunities in life are not irreversible. The success of education also largely depends on the school environment – and especially on the teachers. This leaves a lot of room for maneuver for the education system,” says an ifo researcher Benjamin Arnold.
The study is based on a comprehensive survey and administrative data from the United States of more than 3,000 participants who attended high school in the 1994/1995 school year and have been surveyed repeatedly since then. The researchers used data collected using the latest microbiological techniques. This meant that their analysis could use inherited predispositions as a measure of poor initiation opportunities.
The researchers found out how many characteristics related to the school environment affect the educational results of students with different starting opportunities. It turns out that qualified teachers are especially important for the success of disadvantaged students. In contrast, a smaller class size has no effect on educational success.
“So, better teachers can not only raise the overall level of student achievement, but they can also help promote equal opportunity. That’s what political decision-makers should focus on,” says Arold.
Source: ifo Institute