Allocating Quality: Collective Bargaining Agreements and Administrative Discretion Over Teacher Assignment (Subscription Required)

This study of Florida districts found that collective bargaining agreements are often more lenient than people think when it comes to administrators’ discretion in teacher assignments—even in large, at-risk districts. Yet administrators often do not take advantage of the flexibilities in their union contracts because of ingrained practices and pressures by teachers and parents for the most effective teachers to teach students with the fewest high needs. It is suggested that improvements in access to great teachers might require changes in the norms and practices within districts and schools with respect to hiring and assigning teachers.