The Negative Correlation Between Learning and Monopoly Bargaining

David Griffith, Thomas B. Fordham Institute Senior Research and Policy Associate, has drawn a connection between student learning, teacher absenteeism and monopoly bargaining in his latest study, Teacher Absenteeism in Public and Charter Schools.

. . . we also know that teachers are the single most powerful instrument that schools have to boost student learning. When teachers miss school, students miss out on education. Understandably, then, teacher absences have become a topic of increased research interest—and we have learned a lot in recent years. Several studies have examined the relationship between teacher absenteeism and pupil achievement and found a strong connection. In fact, there appears to be a one-to-one relationship: a ten-day increase in teacher absence results in at least a ten-day learning loss for students.