Students Learn Less in States with Stronger Teachers’ Unions

Year after year, students in Big Labor controlled school systems get farther behind new study documents.  Expanding on Terry Moe’s research in his book Special Interest.

State teacher union strength and student achievement, by Johnathan Lott and Lawrence W. Kenny

HIghlights

• District union strength (e.g., restrictiveness of the contract) may affect student test scores.
• The impact of teachers union financial resources on student test scores has not been explored.
• Teacher unions are major contributors to candidates in Congressional and state legislature races.
• We find that student test scores are lower in states with teachers unions with greater union dues.