TFA teachers in grades 1 and 2 had a positive effect on math achievement of 0.16 standard deviations that was almost statistically significant (p-value = 0.054)¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r? · q3 · i1 small
Currency · newest study 2017 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i1 TFA teachers in grades 1 and 2 had a positive effect on student math achievement of 0.16 standard deviations, about 1.5 additional months of learning, a difference that was almost statistically significant at conventional levels (p-value = 0.054). → Clark 2017

Evidence¶

Clark 2017¶

Clark, Melissa A.; Isenberg, Eric; Liu, Albert Y.; Makowsky, Libby; Zukiewicz, Marykate. (2017). Impacts of the Teach For America Investing in Innovation Scale-Up. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/impacts-of-the-teach-for-america-investing-in-innovation-scaleup

q3 · i1 · causal · r?

The report states TFA teachers in grades 1 and 2 "had a positive effect on student math achievement." The printed effect size is 0.16 standard deviations, about 1.5 additional months of learning, with p-value = 0.054, just missing conventional significance thresholds.

"Similarly, TFA teachers in grades 1 and 2 had a positive effect on student math achievement of 0.16 standard deviations, or about 1.5 additional months of learning. This difference was almost statistically significant at conventional levels (p-value = 0.054)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• TFA teachers in lower elementary grades (prekindergarten through grade 2) had a positive, statistically significant effect on reading achievement of 0.12 standard deviations — related
• Teach For America teachers had a positive impact on student math achievement of about 15 percent of a standard deviation, equivalent to about one month of instruction — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• TFA teachers have positive effects on mathematics achievement for students in grades pre-K-12, based on six studies — a broader claim this one bears on
• Teach For America teachers had no impact on student reading achievement — related
• Secondary math students taught by Teach For America teachers outperformed peers taught by traditional-route teachers by 0.06 standard deviations — related
• A randomized controlled trial found TFA secondary math teachers outperformed non-TFA comparison teachers in mathematics achievement — related
• TFA secondary math teachers increase student math achievement by 0.07 standard deviations over one school year relative to other math teachers in the same schools — related
• Students of certified teachers outperformed students of under-certified teachers, including TFA teachers, on all three SAT-9 subtests in low-income districts — related
• No statistically significant TFA impacts were found for upper elementary grades (3 through 5) in reading or math or for other examined subgroups — related