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Alternative routes to teaching: The impacts of Teach for America on student achievement and other outcomes

Author

Listed:
  • Steven Glazerman

    (Mathematica Policy Research, Washington, DC)

  • Daniel Mayer

    (Maynard Public Schools, Maynard, MA)

  • Paul Decker

    (Mathematica Policy Research, Princeton, NJ)

Abstract

This paper reports on a randomized experiment to study the impact of an alternative teacher preparation program, Teach for America (TFA), on student achievement and other outcomes. We found that TFA teachers had a positive impact on math achievement and no impact on reading achievement. The size of the impact on math scores was about 15 percent of a standard deviation, equivalent to about one month of instruction. The general conclusions did not differ substantially for subgroups of teachers, including novice teachers, or for subgroups of students. We found no impacts on other student outcomes such as attendance, promotion, or disciplinary incidents, but TFA teachers were more likely to report problems with student behavior than were their peers. The findings contradict claims that such programs allowing teachers to bypass the traditional route to the classroom harm students. © 2006 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management

Suggested Citation

  • Steven Glazerman & Daniel Mayer & Paul Decker, 2006. "Alternative routes to teaching: The impacts of Teach for America on student achievement and other outcomes," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(1), pages 75-96.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:25:y:2006:i:1:p:75-96
    DOI: 10.1002/pam.20157
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    1. Paul T. Decker & Daniel P. Mayer & Steven Glazerman, "undated". "The Effects of Teach For America on Students: Findings from a National Evaluation," Mathematica Policy Research Reports c8b5eb6d499c465c86a96bee4, Mathematica Policy Research.
    2. repec:mpr:mprres:4150 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. repec:mpr:mprres:4012 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

    1. Tarek Azzam & Michael Bates & David Fairris, 2019. "Do Learning Communities Increase First Year College Retention? Testing Sample Selection and External Validity of Randomized Control Trials," Working Papers 202002, University of California at Riverside, Department of Economics.
    2. Antecol, Heather & Eren, Ozkan & Ozbeklik, Serkan, 2013. "The effect of Teach for America on the distribution of student achievement in primary school: Evidence from a randomized experiment," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 113-125.
    3. Gershenson, Seth, 2021. "Identifying and Producing Effective Teachers," IZA Discussion Papers 14096, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Dan Goldhaber & Cyrus Grout & Nick Huntington-Klein, 2017. "Screen Twice, Cut Once: Assessing the Predictive Validity of Applicant Selection Tools," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 12(2), pages 197-223, Spring.
    5. Hinrichs, Peter, 2021. "What kind of teachers are schools looking for? Evidence from a randomized field experiment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 395-411.
    6. Jonathan M.V. Davis, 2017. "The Short and Long Run Impacts of Centralized Clearinghouses: Evidence from Matching Teach For America Teachers to Schools," 2017 Papers pda791, Job Market Papers.
    7. Lisa Dragoset & Jaime Thomas & Mariesa Herrmann & John Deke & Susanne James-Burdumy & Cheryl Graczewski & Andrea Boyle & Courtney Tanenbaum & Jessica Giffin & Rachel Upton, "undated". "Race to the Top: Implementation and Relationship to Student Outcomes," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 4169441544e144b08777d967e, Mathematica Policy Research.
    8. Charles T. Clotfelter & Helen F. Ladd & Jacob L. Vigdor, 2010. "Teacher Credentials and Student Achievement in High School: A Cross-Subject Analysis with Student Fixed Effects," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 45(3).
    9. Goldhaber, Dan & Krieg, John & Theobald, Roddy, 2020. "Effective like me? Does having a more productive mentor improve the productivity of mentees?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    10. Thomas S. Dee & James Wyckoff, 2015. "Incentives, Selection, and Teacher Performance: Evidence from IMPACT," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 267-297, March.
    11. Roland G. Fryer, Jr, 2017. "Management and Student Achievement: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment," NBER Working Papers 23437, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Carruthers, Celeste K., 2012. "New schools, new students, new teachers: Evaluating the effectiveness of charter schools," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 280-292.
    13. Gary T. Henry & Kevin C. Bastian & C. Kevin Fortner & David C. Kershaw & Kelly M. Purtell & Charles L. Thompson & Rebecca A. Zulli, 2014. "Teacher Preparation Policies and Their Effects on Student Achievement," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 9(3), pages 264-303, July.
    14. Goldhaber, Dan & Liddle, Stephanie & Theobald, Roddy, 2013. "The gateway to the profession: Assessing teacher preparation programs based on student achievement," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 29-44.
    15. Tim R. Sass, 2015. "Licensure and Worker Quality: A Comparison of Alternative Routes to Teaching," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(1), pages 1-35.
    16. Lisa Dragoset & Susanne James-Burdumy & Kristin Hallgren & Irma Perez-Johnson & Mariesa Herrmann & Christina Tuttle & Megan Hague Angus & Rebecca Herman & Matthew Murray & Corutney Tanenbaum & Cheryl , 2015. "Usage of Policies and Practices Promoted by Race to the Top," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 4b296d4310f843acad1f80b5a, Mathematica Policy Research.
    17. Gary King & Emmanuela Gakidou & Nirmala Ravishankar & Ryan T. Moore & Jason Lakin & Manett Vargas & Martha María Téllez-Rojo & Juan Eugenio Hernández Ávila & Mauricio Hernández Ávila & Héctor Hernánde, 2007. "A “politically robust” experimental design for public policy evaluation, with application to the Mexican Universal Health Insurance program," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(3), pages 479-506.
    18. Chen, Feng & Harris, Douglas N. & Penn, Mary, 2024. "The effects of charter school entry on the supply of teachers from university-based education programs," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    19. Christina Clark Tuttle & Tara Anderson & Steven Glazerman, "undated". "ABCTE Teachers in Florida and Their Effect on Student Performance," Mathematica Policy Research Reports bbf7856707e44bb79be7599a2, Mathematica Policy Research.
    20. Lisa Dragoset & Jaime Thomas & Mariesa Herrmann & John Deke & Susanne James-Burdumy & Cheryl Graczewski & Andrea Boyle & Rachel Upton & Courtney Tanenbaum & Jessica Giffin, "undated". "School Improvement Grants: Implementation and Effectiveness (Final Report)," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 76bce3f4bb0944f29a481fae0, Mathematica Policy Research.
    21. Dana Balter & William D. Duncombe, 2008. "Recruiting Highly Qualified Teachers," Public Finance Review, , vol. 36(1), pages 33-62, January.
    22. Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, 2015. "Current themes in education policy in the United States," Chapters, in: John Karl Scholz & Hyungypo Moon & Sang-Hyup Lee (ed.), Social Policies in an Age of Austerity, chapter 7, pages 165-180, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    23. Hall, Caroline & Lundin, Martin & Sibbmark, Kristina, 2018. "Strengthening teachers in disadvantaged schools: Evidence from an intervention in Sweden’s poorest city districts," Working Paper Series 2018:26, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    24. Will Dobbie & Roland G. Fryer, Jr, 2011. "The Impact of Youth Service on Future Outcomes: Evidence from Teach For America," NBER Working Papers 17402, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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