Students of university-prepared Texas teachers gained 2.2 additional months of 9th-grade ELA learning and 1.8 additional months of 9th-grade math learning versus students of alternatively prepared teachers¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Alternative-certification program alumni in Texas produced significantly lower student learning gains than traditional-program alumni, in every tested grade level and subject. → Bland 2023

Evidence¶

Bland 2023¶

Bland, J. A., Wojcikiewicz, S. K., Darling-Hammond, L., & Wei, W. (2023). Strengthening pathways into the teaching profession in Texas: Challenges and opportunities. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/957.902

q2 · i? · review · r2

The report cites a University of Texas at Austin study comparing student learning gains by teacher preparation route. It reports the gaps "show up in every tested grade level and subject," with the quoted 9th-grade ELA and math figures.

"students with university-prepared teachers gained 2.2 additional months of learning in 9th-grade English language arts (ELA) and 1.8 additional months of learning in 9th-grade math as compared to those whose teachers entered through alternative routes."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• An evaluation study compares teachers trained through different routes to certification — a broader claim this one bears on
• Teachers who enter without completed preparation are typically less effective and have significantly higher turnover than prepared teachers — a broader claim this one bears on
• Alternatively certified teachers are 25% more likely to leave their schools and the profession, controlling for other factors — related
• Teachers prepared through traditional certification pathways are retained at higher rates over 5 years than alternatively certified or noncertified Texas teachers — related
• Five years after first licensure, 69% of traditional-preservice teachers remained in Texas classrooms versus 60% of alternatively certified teachers — related
• Alternative certification enrollment growth in Texas did not increase teacher supply because completion rates were low — related
• For-profit alternative certification pathways account for over 70% of Texas educator preparation enrollment while overall completion fell 14% over a decade — related