Great teachers matter. A lot. This is not a new finding, but Texas is actually doing something about it, by providing millions of dollars in school funding explicitly tied to teacher quality. The way Texas is doing it stands in contrast to past efforts and could be a model for other state and national policymakers. During the Obama administration, state, district and federal leaders all seized on research on the importance of great teachers. One study at the time found that high-quality educators can boost college outcomes and early-career earnings and even reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy.
