Eric.ed.gov – Teach for America. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

“Teach For America” (“TFA”) is a highly selective route to teacher certification that aims to place non-traditionally trained teachers in high-need public schools. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) identified seven studies of teachers trained through “TFA” that both fall within the scope of the Teacher Training, Evaluation, and Compensation topic area and meet WWC group design standards. The WWC considers the extent of evidence for teachers trained through “TFA” on the academic achievement of students in grades pre-K-12 to be medium to large for two student outcome domains–mathematics achievement and English language arts achievement–and small for two student outcome domains–science achievement and social studies achievement. “TFA” teachers were found to have positive effects on mathematics achievement, potentially positive effects on science achievement, and no discernible effects on social studies achievement and English language arts achievement for students in grades pre-K-12. The WWC identified 24 eligible studies that investigated the effects of TFA teachers on the academic achievement of students in elementary, middle, and high school. Three studies are randomized controlled trials that meet WWC group design standards without reservations, and four studies use quasi-experimental designs that meet WWC group design standards with reservations. The three studies the meet WWC group design standards without reservations are: (1) Clark, M. A., Chiang, H. S., Silva, T., McConnell, S., Sonnenfeld, K., Erbe, A., & Puma, M. (2013). “The effectiveness of secondary math teachers from Teach For America and the Teaching Fellows programs” (NCEE 2013-4015). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education (ED544171); (2) Clark, M. A., Isenberg, E., Liu, A. Y., Makowsky, L., & Zukiewicz, M. (2015). “Impacts of the Teach for America Investing in Innovation scale-up.” Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research; and (3) Glazerman, S., Mayer, D., & Decker, P. (2006). “Alternative routes to teaching: The impacts of Teach for America on student achievement and other outcomes.” “Journal of Policy Analysis and Management,” 25(1), 75-96 (EJ759352). The four studies that meet WWC group design standards with reservations are: (1) Henry, G. T., Purtell, K. M., Bastian, K. C., Fortner, C. K., Thompson, C. L., Campbell, S. L., & Patterson, K. M. (2014). “The effects of teacher entry portals on student achievement.” “Journal of Teacher Education,” 65(1), 7-23 (EJ1019823); (2) Turner, H. M., Goodman, D., Adachi, E., Brite, J., & Decker, L. E. (2012). “Evaluation of Teach For America in Texas schools.” San Antonio, TX: Edvance Research, Inc.; (3) Ware, A., LaTurner, R. J., Parsons, J., Okulicz-Kozaryn, A., Garland, M., & Klopfenstein, K. (2011). “Teacher preparation programs and Teach for America research study.” Dallas: Education Research Center, The University of Texas at Dallas; and (4) Xu, Z., Hannaway, J., & Taylor, C. (2011). “Making a difference? The effects of Teach For America in high school.” “Journal of Policy Analysis and Management,” 30(3), 447-469 (EJ938590). The following are appended: (1) Research details for Clark et al. (2013); (2) Research details for Clark et al. (2015); (3) Research details for Glazerman et al. (2006); (4) Research details for Henry, Purtell, et al. (2014); (5) Research details for Turner et a. (2012); (6) Research details for Ware et al. (2011); (7) Research details for Xu et al. (2011); (8) Outcome measures for each domain; (9) Findings included for the mathematics achievement domain; (10) Findings included in the rating for the science achievement domain; (11) Findings in the rating for the social studies achievement domain; (12) Findings included in the rating for the English language arts achievement domain; (13) Supplemental grade level and student subgroup findings for the mathematics achievement domain; (14) Supplemental teacher subgroup findings for the mathematics achievement domain; (15) Supplemental findings for teacher subgroups in the science achievement domain; (16) Supplemental grade level and student subgroup findings in the English language arts achievement domain; (17) Supplemental teacher subgroup findings in the English language arts achievement domain. A glossary of terms is included.