Teachers’ Contractual Ties and Student Achievement: The Effect of Temporary and Multiple-School Teachers in Brazil

In developing countries, teachers are often hired on a temporary basis and work in multiple schools to increase their earnings. However, the implications of these flexible contractual arrangements on the quality of K–12 education remain little explored. By using unique data from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a cross-subject analysis with student fixed effects, this study contributes to the literature by analyzing the impact of teachers on temporary contracts and teachers who work at multiple schools at a time on student achievement. Results show that temporary teachers have a negative impact on student achievement and that such an effect is particularly stronger for low-income students. Moreover, temporary teachers are less involved in school activities and provide students with less support and feedback than teachers on permanent contracts. Findings reveal that multiple-school teachers have no significant effect on student achievement, but they are less likely to be involved in school decision making.