An Evaluation of the Impact on Secondary Student Math Achievement of Two Highly Selective Routes to Alternative Certification

Contractor: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., Chesapeake Research Associates, and Branch Associates

Background/Research Questions:

Title II, Part A, the Improving Teacher State Formula Grants program, is the primary federal funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to support a high quality teacher in every classroom. The program, funded at $2.9 billion in FY08, targets high poverty districts and funds a broad array of allowable activities such as support for certification including alternative certification, teacher mentoring and induction, intensive professional development, recruitment, retention, and merit-based teacher and principal pay strategies as well as class size reduction.

Highly selective programs that provide alternative routes to teacher certification are viewed by some policymakers as important tools for recruiting prospective teachers, particularly in critical subject areas like secondary school math in which teacher shortages are common. Little is known, however, about the effectiveness of teachers in those programs, especially at the secondary level. This study aims to fill that knowledge gap by focusing on secondary math teachers from the two largest highly selective routes to alternative certification: Teach For America (TFA) and the Teaching Fellows programs fostered by The New Teacher Project (TNTP). The study will address:

• What is the impact on student math achievement of secondary school math teachers who entered teaching through two highly selective alternative routes relative to other math teachers in the same schools?
• What is the impact on student math achievement of secondary school math teachers who entered teaching through Teach for America relative to other math teachers in the same schools?
• What is the impact on student math achievement of secondary school math teachers who entered teaching through the Teaching Fellows Programs relative to other math teachers in the same schools?

Design:

This study uses an experimental design in which students are randomly assigned to either a teacher who entered through a highly selective route to alternative certification or another teacher who teaches the same math course at the same school. The sample of teachers who entered through highly selective alternative routes will be equally divided between Teach For America teachers and Teaching Fellows.

Approximately 112 schools in up to 20 school districts will be recruited to take part in the study, with a focus on 300 secondary school math teachers and their approximately 18,000 students. The study will include roughly equal samples of middle school and high school teachers. Student achievement will be measured by administering computer-adaptive math assessments to high school students and using scores from state- and district-administered math assessments for middle school students. A teacher survey will be used to collect information on demographic characteristics, educational background, pre-service teaching experience, teacher education courses taken during the current school year, and mentoring and other support services received during the current school year. Structured interviews of highly selective alternative certification program administrators will collect information on the strategies the programs use to recruit, screen, train, place, and support teachers.

Duration: 4 years (August 26, 2008 – August 25, 2012)

Current Status: Recruitment of districts and schools is underway.