News Release
at The Chicago Public Education Fund
Aidan Leonard, Development and Communications Associate
(312) 558-4503

November 2004

Teach For America teachers boost student achievement in math, study says
Corps members outperform novice and veteran colleagues in math; achieve same results in reading

CHICAGO —Teach For America corps members generate larger achievement gains than their peers, particularly when it comes to math instruction, according to a new Mathematica Policy Research study sponsored by the Hewlett Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation.

"Even though Teach For America teachers generally lack any formal teacher training beyond that provided by Teach For America, they produce higher test scores than the other teachers in their schools - not just other novice teachers or uncertified teachers, but also veterans and certified teachers," researchers said.

The study covered multiple cities where TFA places corps members, including Chicago, and found that the statistical gain TFA corps members produce is equivalent to one additional month of math instruction for each student. The study showed that TFA corps members did not generate larger achievement gains that their peers in reading; however, they did match their peers.

Download the full study here.

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As a venture capital fund for public education, The Chicago Public Education Fund is an unprecedented catalyst for improving school leadership and student achievement system wide. Launched by a group of corporate and civic leaders, The Fund brings private sector dollars and expertise to high-impact programs aligned with Chicago Public Schools priorities. Find out more at www.cpef.org.

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