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Expected Graduation: Spring, 2010

Previous Education:

Field(s) of Concentration:

RESEARCH FIELDS:

Labor Economics, Public Economics, Economics of Education

Teaching Experience:

iInstructor, University of Kentucky

Eco 479 (Public Economics), Fall 2009
Eco 391 (Business and Economics Statistics), Spring 2007, Summer 2008
Eco 201 (Principles of Microeconomics), Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Summer 2007

Teaching Assistant, University of Kentucky, Fall 2007, Fall 2008

Research Assistant, Center for Business and Economic Research, University of Kentucky, Spring 2009

Research Experience:

“Estimates of the Costs and Benefits of Expanding the Early Childhood Education Program in Kentucky” (with Christopher Jepsen and Kenneth Troske)
“State Charter School Legislation and Student Achievement” (with Bradley L. Hardy)

References:

John E. Garen (jgaren@email.uky.edu)
William H. Hoyt (whoyt@email.uky.edu)
Christopher Jepsen (jepsen@email.uky.edu)

Dissertation Title: "“Teacher Pay, Incentives, and the Principal-Agent Problem”"

Dissertation Abstract:

This dissertation explores the effect of competition in the market for education on the pay and characteristics of charter and non-charter public school teachers. The analysis draws on two primary sources of competition: inter-district (Tiebout) competition and the strength of the charter law in the state in which the teacher works. Using data on individual teachers from the 1999-00, 2003-04, and 2007-08 editions of the Schools and Staffing Survey, I find evidence to suggest competition does indeed affect teacher pay and the characteristics of teachers. Differences are particularly pronounced for charter and non-charter teachers who work in the most competitive MSAs. I find that, for teachers in MSAs with strong charter laws and high Tiebout competition, charter teachers are less likely to have earned a Master’s degree (27% v. 52%), have less years of public school experience (5.6 v. 13.7), are less likely to have a teaching certificate (63% v. 90%), and are less likely to be unionized (9% v. 80%). Other interesting findings suggest a large charter effect on teachers having earned a Bachelor’s degree outside the field of education in states with strong charter laws. Finally, regression analysis reveals that teachers who work in high Tiebout MSAs earn 2.7 percent more than teachers in low Tiebout MSAs; teachers working in strong charter law states earn 2.8 percent higher pay than teachers who work in weak charter law states; charter teachers earn 3.6 percent less than non-charter teachers; and charter teachers working in states with strong charter laws earn another 2.9 percent less than their non-charter counterparts.