Two interesting research studies were being discussed on various education analysis sites this week. Both studies dealt with whether it makes sense to require/reward degrees for teachers.

In 21 states, BA degrees are now required for teachers in state Pre-K programs. In every state, K-12 teachers with MAs are rewarded with higher pay scales and sometimes have an easier track through recertification.

But do they work?

Yet if there's one thing that all the research studies out there agree on, it's that there is no relationship between having a Master's degree and classroom effectivenes. In fact, the latest large-scale study on the issue found--incredibly--that teachers who go back to get a Master's degree after starting teaching are actually less effective than those who don't...
-- The Quick and the ED

Yet Diane M. Early, a researcher at UNC-Chapel Hill—and one of 19 authors of the new paper in Child Development—said there is “no clear pattern” showing a relationship between a four-year degree and positive academic outcomes for children.
--EdWeek

A degree is only as valuable as its associated program. Should salary increases be tied to Master's degrees that don't have a proven impact on teacher performance? Should pre-K teachers be required to get a Bachelor's degree? And if we do think degrees should be part of teacher prep, how can we make them more worthwhile?

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