| Abstract: | One of the major focuses of the recent reform movement in education concerns perceived and anticipated teacher shortages, especially in particular fields such as mathematics and science. It is widely believed that lower salaries relative to alternative occupations are responsible for teacher shortages and that higher salaries will therefore help reduce shortages. Yet there is little empirical research that examines the relationship between teacher shortages and teacher salary differentials. This paper examines this relationship for the case of mathematics and science teachers using data on a sample of medium and large school districts located within large metropolitan areas throughout the United States. The results support the general proposition that salary differentials between teachers and alternative occupations influence teacher shortages, although the relationship varies by gender and geographic area of the U.S. |
