Teacher attraction: Are magnet school teachers more professionalized than traditional schoolteachers in urban secondary schools?

How does the organization affect the occupation? This article takes a collective look at school organizations, magnet schools as instruments of school choice and traditional schools, and the effect they have on teacher professionalization. Research indicates that the benefits of increased teacher professionalization include greater commitment, higher retention rates, and higher student outcomes - all major issues in school reform debates. Using a national-level data set, the author investigates four elements of professionalization in both the magnet and traditional school contexts to ascertain the impact the school organization has on teacher professionalization. The results indicate the magnet school context is indeed noteworthy in the areas of autonomy, both classroom control and influence on school policy, and professional development and salary, but is not significant in teacher credentialing.