Teacher Characteristics and Student Performance: Evidence from Random Teacher-Student Assignments in China

Wei Huang (), Teng Li, Yinghao Pan and Jinyang Ren ()
Additional contact information
Wei Huang: National University of Singapore
Jinyang Ren: Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics

No 14184, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper investigates the impacts of teacher characteristics on student performance using a nationally representative and randomly assigned teacher-student sample in China. We find that having a more experienced or female homeroom teacher (HRT) with additional classroom management duties significantly improves students' test scores and cognitive and noncognitive abilities. In contrast, these effects are not observed for subject teachers who are responsible only for teaching. More experienced or female HRTs are also associated with a better classroom environment, more self-motivated students, more parental involvement, and higher parental expectations. These mechanisms explain 10-25 percent of HRT effects on test scores and cognitive ability and 50-60 percent of HRT effects on noncognitive ability. Our findings highlight the importance of teacher management skills in education production.

Keywords: student performance; education production function; teacher value-added (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I21 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 60 pages
Date: 2021-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cna, nep-edu, nep-eff, nep-hrm, nep-sea and nep-ure
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published - published in: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2023, 214, 747-781

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Journal Article: Teacher characteristics and student performance: Evidence from random teacher-student assignments in China (2023)
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