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Title: Teacher MA Attainment Rates, 1970-2000

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2010

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Abstract: The share of female teachers in the U.S. with an MA more than doubled between 1970and 2000. This increase is puzzling, as it is much larger than that of other college-educatedwomen, and it occurred over a period of declining teacher aptitude. I estimate the contributionof changes in teacher demographic characteristics, increases in the returns to an MA,and changes in teacher certification requirements to increases in teacher MA attainmentrates. I find that the majority of the rise in attainment not attributable to secular trends andincreases in the average age of teachers can be explained by increases in the returns to anMA among teachers. The increase in MA returns among teachers presents a second puzzle,as there is little evidence that masters degrees increase teacher productivity.

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Authors: Larsen, S.Eric

Periodical (Full): Economics of Education

Issue: 5

Volume: 29

Pages: 772-782

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Education

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