Recruiting High-Quality Teachers With Service Scholarships: Descriptive Evidence From China's Free Teacher Education Scholarship

Purpose This study evaluates China's Free Teacher Education (FTE) scholarship's effectiveness in attracting and developing high-quality teachers, focusing on scholarship enrollment, career choices, teaching effectiveness, and burnout experiences of scholarship recipients. Design/Approach/Methods Utilizing administrative and survey data from a leading normal university and the provincial Department of Education, the study compares FTE scholarship recipients with non-recipients across various metrics, including their pre-college backgrounds, job placements, in-service effectiveness, and job burnout. Findings Results show that FTE scholarships draw high-performing students who are more likely to end up as teachers. Despite experiencing slightly higher burnout, these scholarship recipients demonstrate superior teaching effectiveness. Originality/Value This study provides new insights into the role of service scholarships in enhancing teacher quality. Our findings underscore the potential of service scholarships for pre-service teachers as an efficient tool to address teacher shortage and enhance teacher quality.