Working Paper
The Effect of Pre-Service Cognitive and Pedagogical Teacher Skills on Student Achievement Gains: Evidence from German Entry Screening Exams
Bernhard Enzi
ifo Institute, Munich, 2017
ifo Working Paper No. 243
ifo Institute, Munich, 2017
ifo Working Paper No. 243
![](https://www.ifo.de/DocImg/wp-2017-243-enzi-teacher-skills-student-achievement.jpg?c=1689236946)
Information about teachers’ effectiveness at the hiring stage is particularly scarce despite its importance for personnel decisions. Using the German setting of teacher training, I investigate the relationship of teachers’ pre-service cognitive and pedagogical skills as measured by two state examinations and the high-school GPA on later effectiveness. I apply standard value-added models to rich German student-achievement panel data and find that being in the top quartile in these skill domains is linked with significantly higher teacher effectiveness. Better teacher skills are associated with a more efficient way of classroom management.
JEL Classification: I210, J240, J450, H750