About This Project

Observational research on students receiving Alabama's high-quality First Class Pre-K (FCPK) shows large differences in rates of discipline compared to other students. Post-pandemic reports indicate school discipline has worsened, causing teachers to quit. This project examines the persistence of lower rates for FCPK students and estimates the impact on teacher turnover during a growing shortage of teachers in Alabama.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

A recent report on disciplinary rates in Alabama found that FCPK students were half as much as their peers. An evaluation of teachers in Alabama found much higher rates of disciplinary incidents among teachers with 1-3 years of experience, especially for incidents described as "defiance." This is consistent with research in other states. An earlier study in Montgomery found that 62% of students with at least one suspension dropped out of school (38% graduated). Recently, a serious shortage of qualified teachers has become acute, with discipline as a potential factor in many cases. It stands to reason that classes with a higher proportion of FCPK students could relieve discipline-related teacher stress and reduce turnover for newer teachers.

What is the significance of this project?

A large body of research on Pre-K finds that students have significantly lower rates of negative outcomes as adults, including lower rates of interaction with the criminal justice system. They also graduate at higher rates. Conversely, students with more disciplinary incidents are more likely to be suspended, have lower academic achievement, drop out of school, and become involved in the criminal justice system. These issues are more acute for black students, especially those with less experienced teachers. Ultimately, this project considers the feasibility of providing targeted support and training to teachers, thereby reducing turnover and improving student outcomes.

What are the goals of the project?

To test the hypothesis that teacher turnover will be highest among teachers with lower levels of experience and lower percentages of FCPK students in their classes and lowest among teachers with more experience and higher percentages of FCPK students, I will use regression analysis, controlling for class size, student socioeconomic status, teacher education, student and teacher demographics, and other school characteristics.

The data requested will contain matched data for all K-12 students and teachers from 2015 to 2023 in Alabama, along with relevant demographic data for both teachers and students. The data set will contain approximately 61 million records for approximately 1.6 million students for that period. Data analysis will be done using an R-based program, STATA, and Tableau.