The impact of teacher qualification standards on teacher quality

Improving the quality of education is essential to improving student outcomes. There has been an increasing emphasis on the impact of teacher qualification on teacher effectiveness since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. There is a need to examine whether the focus on teacher qualification positively impacts teacher quality. This study sought to determine whether or not being a highly qualified teacher as defined by state criteria and having a higher academic degree improves the effectiveness of the teacher in the classroom. A mixed methodology approach was taken to seek an answer to the question on the impact of teacher qualification on teacher quality.