Teacher Testing Standards and the New Teacher Pipeline

Abstract

We examine the impact of changes in testing standards on the new teacher pipeline by exploiting a quasi-experimental change in the minimum passing score required for admission into teacher training programs. Using institution-level data, we find that higher testing standards sharply reduce teacher preparation program enrollments and graduations. Increases in testing standards are also associated with declines in the number of new teacher licenses awarded. According to our estimates, the average increase in standards led to a nine percent decrease in graduations from teacher training programs, accounting for more than one-third of the overall decline in teacher training graduates.