How changes in entry requirements alter the teacher workforce and affect student achievement

We are in the midst of what amounts to a national experiment in how best to attract, prepare, and retain teachers, particularly for high poverty urban schools. Using data on New York City students and their teachers in grades three through eight, we assess the effects of pathways into teaching on the teacher workforce and student achievement. We consider whether teachers entering through alternative certification routes alter the attributes of the teacher work force, how the achievement gains of the students of alternative route teachers compare to those of other teachers, and the relative retention of teachers across pathways.