Does teacher training affect pupil learning? Evidence from matched comparisons in Jerusalem public schools

Most research on the relationship between teacher characteristics and pupil achievement focuses on salaries, experience, and education. The effect of in-service training has received less attention. We estimate the effect of in-service teacher training on achievement in Jerusalem elementary schools using a matched-comparison design. Differences-in-differences, regression, and matching estimates suggest training in secular schools led to an improvement in test scores. The estimates for religious schools are not clear cut, perhaps because training in religious schools started later and was implemented on a smaller scale. Estimates for secular schools suggest teacher training provided a cost-effective means of increasing test scores.