How to Make Better Teachers

Teaching may be more art than science, but the long-term benefits of doing it well aren’t up for debate: Good teachers boost their students’ performance on standardized tests, their chances of going to college and even their lifetime earnings. Whether countries prosper and grow depends on the quality of their teachers — which is why governments need to invest in raising standards.

Partly, this means paying teachers more. The public-school teachers striking for better pay in some Republican-controlled states have a good case. But improving teacher quality requires more than that.