Inspired by the theoretical power of rewards in the labor market, to improve educational outcomes, this paper tests if giving a non-financial reward along with a financial one can result in higher student ex-post outcomes than just a financial incentive. The underlying mechanism by which non-financial reward might work is explored as well. The argument is based on Benabou and Tirole (2002)’s model, that non-financial reward may affect teachers’ self-esteem and, with that, their effort, and thereby the student outcomes after the reward is given. This is accomplished by exploiting a discontinuity in the running variable used to assign the Teaching Excellence Award (AEP for its initials in Spanish). A Sharp Regression Discontinuity Design is used to identify the effect of AEP using data for more than 5,000 math and language teachers. The dataset includes the teaching evaluation score that AEP gives every year to their applicants, the corresponding standardized test score of more than 100,000 students, (SIMCE for its initials in Spanish), school characteristics, and information about motivation and self-perception that teachers self-report in a survey administrated by SIMCE along with the standardized test every year. The results show that rewarding teachers by giving a non-financial reward along with a financial one does not work in the intended way. I find a not statistically significant effect of giving a reward to teachers with outstanding teaching skills and pedagogical knowledge on student test scores, teaching practices, teacher’s self-confidence in a window of three years after the certification process. Lastly, there is no evidence of teacher-student or teacher-school sorting as an ex-post effect of obtaining the certification.

The purpose of this study was to develop a profile of the successful secondary marketing teacher based upon perceptions of teaching award recipients in marketing education. A naturalistic inquiry paradigm using the case study approach was the research design selected for the study. Semistructured, open-ended interviews were conducted with 11 teachers who were recipients of the annually presented, state-level teaching award in marketing education in the states of North Carolina and Virginia. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed according to tenets associated with the constant comparative method. The perceptions of the participants were organized and coded into the following five core categories established by the research questions: (a) teacher preparation, (b) personal motivations and abilities, (c) students, (d) professional roles and practices, and (e) teaching environment. Conceptual categories which emerged within each core category formed the framework for a perceptual profile of the successful secondary marketing teacher presented in the case report. Based on the findings from this study, it can be concluded that the successful secondary marketing teacher: (a) approaches the job with enthusiasm and strives to accomplish more than the minimum job requirements; (b) receives satisfaction from watching students experience success and develop positive self-concepts; (c) is professionally committed and involved; (d) is a very caring, student-centered teacher; (e) is most effective when allowed the freedom to work with minimum supervision; (f) performs teaching and other program duties in a somewhat structured, methodical manner; (g) realizes the success of the marketing education program is dependent on his or her ability to maintain good interpersonal relationships; and (h) receives thorough preparation in both technical content and pedagogy. It is recommended that secondary marketing teachers attempt to improve their performance in teaching, coordination, and other areas of the job through the emulation of the profile produced from this study. Additional recommendations are presented for education policymakers, teacher educators, and future research. / Ed. D.