A study about teacher quality in Chile: The role of the context where teachers work and value-added measuresUn estudio sobre la calidad docente en Chile: El rol del contexto en donde enseña el profesor y medidas de valor agregado

Abstract

© 2014 by Psykhe.This paper aims to contribute to the discussion about teacher quality in Chile through two approaches: (a) one based on estimates of the value added by teachers or teacher effect on students' learning, gauged by exploring the role of teachers' characteristics and the context in which they work (school and municipality); and (b) another which seeks to predict student performance using context variables and teacher characteristics. Hierarchical linear models were used in both analyses. The data came from Chile's National Teacher Evaluation System, from the Education Quality Measurement System and the National System of Municipal Information. The sample includes a higher proportion of the poorest and richest schools compared to the total population. The results show instability in the estimation of the teacher effect, adjusting different models that incorporate control variables gradually. The analysis of students' scores shows that, among contextual variables, the school is more important than the municipality for the prediction and that, at the teacher level, only participation in professional development programs is statistically significant, with no evidence supporting the value of experience and initial education.