Teachers’ Preferences for Proximity and the Implications for Staffing Schools: Evidence from Peru

This paper uses the 2015 Peruvian national teacher selection process to explore candidates’ rank-ordered preferences for public schools. We show that, in seeking a permanent position, candidates prefer schools that are closer to where they attended their Teacher Education Program (TEP) and that are located in urban areas. These preferences vary by candidates’ attributes: urban location seem to be particularly important for females and higher-performing candidates. Preferences for proximity to previous workplace are weaker for younger candidates and stronger for high performers. Candidates also prefer larger schools located in low-poverty districts, with one teacher per classroom (vs. non-single-teacher/multigrade), Spanish language instruction (vs. non-bilingual), and access to basic services. A greater understanding of which school characteristics are most valued by teachers can help to design effective policies for attracting candidates to hard-to-staff schools.

Effects of a State Mandated Policy (Site-Based Councils) and of Potential Role Incumbents on Teacher Screening Decisions in High and Low Performing Schools.

Some states have viewed teacher selection as a means of improving student performance and have mandated the use of site-based teacher councils. To assess the utility of this legislative action, an experimental study was conducted. This study uses a 2X3X2 factorial design that varies state legislation, role of the decision maker, and academic performance of the school site. Credentials of hypothetical teacher candidates were evaluated as if screening for a vacant position, and evaluations were submitted to a MANOVA. Results indicate that legislated alterations in the teacher-selection process failed to have any substantial effects on outcomes in the screening of teacher candidates for elementary school positions. Although screening decisions were found to be the same for participants affiliated with both low- and high-performing school districts, teachers were more appreciative of candidate’s credentials than either principals or parents.

The Priorities of Elementary and Secondary Principals for the Criteria Used in the Teacher Selection Process

In this study, elementary and secondary principals, from the states Ohio and Illinois, were not found to have different priorities for the selection of teachers regardless of the area/focal position being sought. The higher selection priorities are enthusiasm for teaching, communication skills, and interviewer's evaluation. The lower priorities are reference information, grade point average, and self-purposing. More research is needed to clarify how these criteria actually are used. Administrators and potential candidates need to be aware of and concentrate on the higher priorities in relation both to how they are demonstrated and to how they are evaluated.