DO PUBLIC-SCHOOLS HIRE THE BEST APPLICANTS

Despite a surplus of candidates for most teaching jobs, a strong acade mic record does little for an applicant's job prospects. This does not appear to result from lukewarm interest on the part of such applicant s or choosiness about the positions they accept. Administrators' lack of interest in these candidates may reflect the weakness of competitiv e pressures in public education. Policies intended to improve teacher quality need to consider incentives on both the demand and supply side s of the market.