Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2511-0539
Date Available
9-1-2024
Year of Publication
2024
Degree Name
Doctor of Public Administration (DPA)
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
College
Graduate School
Department/School/Program
Public Policy and Administration
First Advisor
Dr. Ron Zimmer
Abstract
Since the passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) teachers have been caught in the crosshairs of political debates about education policy (Davis, 2014; EPE Research Center, 2013a; Steiner & Woo, 2021; Woo et al., 2022; Zubrzycki, 2016). As political polarization between parties increased in the 2000s, debates about education policy became more acrimonious impacting teachers’ work lives (Heltzel & Laurin, 2020; Iyengar, 2021; Layman et al., 2006). The topic of these debates ranges from curriculum changes such as Common Core and Critical Race Theory (CTR), school shootings and safety, battles over school choice and voucher programs, teacher activism about working conditions, and safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. I explore the impact Common Core and COVID-19 had on teacher labor markets including the teacher pipeline, teacher supply, and teacher demand. First, I look at how Common Core potentially affected the teacher pipeline nationally as enrollment in teacher preparation programs is declining in four colleges across the United States. Second, I examine what impact COVID-19 had on teacher turnover (a proxy measure for the supply of teachers) in Kentucky. Finally, I examine the other side of the coin how COVID-19 altered the demand for teachers in Kentucky.
I examine the impact COVID-19 had on teacher demand and supply in Kentucky as well as the impact Common Core had on the teacher pipeline. I find that COVID-19 did have a causal effect on the number of job postings due to resignations in Kentucky. I observe that teacher turnover in Republican counties is associated with lower turnover both before and during COVID-19. I find no causal relationship between Common Core and the teacher pipeline. However, this research is still important and could lend to a more descriptive analysis in the future as teachers have reported an increase in stress due to increased political polarization.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2024.283
Recommended Citation
Duffy Chipman, Danielle, "CAUGHT IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF EDUCATIONAL REFORM: HOW TEACHER LABOR MARKETS RESPOND TO POLARIZED EDUCATION POLICIES" (2024). Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration. 48.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/msppa_etds/48
