ReseaRch BRief School Choice

Conducting innovative, independent research on school choice in all its forms Charter schools have been the subject of much education policy research, particularly related to student achievement, governance, funding, and student composition. Although high-quality teachers are essential for the educational success of any school, much less research exists on charter schools ’ ability to recruit talented teachers. This study from the National Center on School Choice explored how prospective elementary teachers view charter schools as they enter the labor market, apply for teaching jobs, and decide where to work. Using a framework of labor market segmentation, the study developed a model for understanding the interaction between institutional structures and informal boundaries (such as social networks and preferences for working in a familiar setting) and teachers ’ job searches. The data examined came from a mixed-methods longitudinal study of prospective elementary teachers from six teacher preparation colleges in the Detroit metropolitan area.1 The data included interviews with 27 teacher applicants at several points in their job search and a longitudinal survey of 160 teacher applicants. After identifying patterns in the qualitative data, the researchers Key Findings: Few teacher applicants give equal • consideration to charter schools and traditional public schools in the job search. Social and institutional contexts • influence teacher applicants’ familiarity with and openness to working in charter schools. Teacher applicants are confused • about whether charter schools are public or private entities. Teacher applicants who ended • up working in charter schools earn lower salaries and are less satisfied with their schools