Data boost for TFA

A new study from Mathematic Policy Research finds that middle and high school math teachers from Teach For America (TFA) and The New Teacher Project (TNTP) Teaching Fellows programs are as effective or more effective than other math teachers in the same schools. Both programs recruit high-achieving college graduates and professionals, give them five to seven weeks of full-time training, place them in high-poverty schools -- often in hard-to-staff subjects -- and offer ongoing training and support. Students assigned TFA teachers scored higher than those assigned to comparison teachers on end-of-year math tests, equivalent to gains from an additional 2.6 months of instruction. Students of inexperienced TFA teachers (who had taught for three years or less) outperformed students of more experienced comparison teachers, leading the authors to conclude that over the long term, filling positions with TFA teachers who depart after a few years would lead to higher student math achievement than filling the same positions with non-TFA teachers who remain in the position and accumulate teaching experience. Students taught by Teaching Fellows had math scores about the same as those taught by comparison teachers. Inexperienced Teaching Fellows (who had taught for three years or less) were more effective than inexperienced comparison teachers; among teachers with more experience, there was no difference. More

Source:  Public Education News Blast

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Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is an education support organization that works as a collaborative partner in high-poverty communities.