Attracting high achievers to teaching

Attracting top talent into teaching should be a core policy priority in Australia. This report shows that our children would learn more if we attracted more high achievers to become teachers. Evidence shows that teachers with strong academic records are likely to be more effective in the classroom. A higher-achieving teacher workforce would give the typical Australian student an extra six to 12 months of learning by Year 9, possibly much more. Governments must do more to make teaching an attractive career choice. Australian universities can only select the best teacher candidates - with both academic and non-cognitive skills - if enough high achievers apply in the first place. Investing in attracting the right people to teaching will have large longterm benefits, for students' lives and Australia's economic prosperity.