The influence of Teach For America on Algebra I student achievement

This non-experimental study examined the influence of an initiative that High Risk School District (pseudonym) implemented to offset the effect of low student academic performance in low performing-schools. The study attempted to answer the following research question: Does having a Teach For America (TFA) teacher have an influence on a student's Algebra I EOC score, independent of gender and race? Teach For America teachers were assigned to the district's most disenfranchised schools. Previous studies have revealed mixed results on TFA teachers' impact on student achievement. The researcher compared student performance on the Algebra I North Carolina End of Course test in High Risk Schools between TFA and non-TFA classrooms. To analyze the data, the responses were measured using the composite Algebra I EOC scores, and the explanatory variables of student gender (male or female), race (African-American, Hispanic and White) and teacher type (TFA or non-TFA) employing a hierarchical modeling procedure. After considering the nesting nature of students within different schools, the researcher used hierarchical linear modeling and found that students taught by TFA out-performed students taught by non-TFA students t (1956)= 3.23, p=.002. Students taught by TFA teachers for all subgroups White, Black and Hispanic out performed students taught by non-TFA teachers (all ps<.01). The results of this study demonstrate that TFA teachers assigned to Algebra I classes have a significant influence on increasing student achievement. The researcher discusses the limitations of these findings. Other studies have shown that TFA teachers, in comparison to regularly certified teachers, have a negative influence on achievement.