GOOD TEACHING MATTERS

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• GOOD TEACHING MATTERS

National Association for Alternative
Certification Chicago, IL
March, 2006

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First, some good news.

• After more than a decade of fairly flat
  achievement and stagnant or growing gaps, we
  appear to be turning the corner.

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NAEP Reading, 9 Year-OldsRecord Performance for
All Groups
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African American-White Gap Narrows to Smallest
Size in HistoryNAEP Reading, 9 Year-Olds
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35
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Latino-White Gap Narrows to Smallest Size in
HistoryNAEP Reading, 9 Year-Olds
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28
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NAEP Math, 9 Year-Olds Record Performance for
All Groups
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African American-White Gap Narrows to Smallest
Size in HistoryNAEP Math, 9 Year-Olds
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28
25
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Latino-White Gap Narrows to Smallest Size in
HistoryNAEP Math, 9 Year-Olds
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26
21
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NAEP Reading, 13 Year-Olds
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NAEP Math, 13 Year-OldsIncreases and Record
Performance for All Groups
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Bottom LineWhen We Really Focus on Something,
We Make Progress
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Clearly, much more remains to be done in
elementary and middle school

• Too many youngsters still enter high school way
  behind.

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2005 NAEP Grade 8 ReadingAll Students, Nation
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
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2005 NAEP Grade 8 Readingby Race/Ethnicity,
Nation
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
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2005 NAEP Grade 8 Readingby Family Income, Nation
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
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2005 NAEP Grade 8 MathAll Students, Nation
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
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2005 NAEP Grade 8 Mathby Race/Ethnicity, Nation
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
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2005 NAEP Grade 8 Mathby Family Income, Nation
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
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But at least we have some traction on these
problems.
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The Same is NOTTrue of High School
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High School
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High School Achievement Math and Science NAEP
Long-Term Trends
Source NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress.
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HIGH SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT READING AND
WRITINGNAEP Long-Term Trends
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Gaps between groups wider today than in 1990
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NAEP Reading, 17 Year-Olds
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NAEP Math, 17 Year-Olds
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20
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Value Added in High School Declined During the
Nineties
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Value Added Declining in High School Math...
Age 13-17 Growth
Source NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress
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Still
Age 13-17 Growth
Source Main NAEP 1996, 2000
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Reading Students Entering Better Prepared, But
Leaving Worse
Source NAEP 1996 Trends in Academic Progress
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Hormones?
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Students in Other Countries Gain far More in
Secondary School

• TIMSS

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PISA
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US 15 Year-Olds Rank Near Middle Of The Pack
Among 32 Participating Countries 1999
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2003 U.S. Ranked 24th out of 29 OECD Countries
in Mathematics
Source Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data
available at http//www.oecd.org/
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Problems are not limited to our high-poverty and
high-minority schools . . .
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U.S. Ranks Low in the Percent of Students in the
Highest Achievement Level (Level 6) in Math
Source Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data
available at http//www.oecd.org/
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U.S. Ranks 23rd out of 29 OECD Countries in the
Math Achievement of the Highest-Performing
Students
Students at the 95th Percentile
Source Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data
available at http//www.oecd.org/
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U.S. Ranks 23rd out of 29OECD Countries in the
Math Achievement of High-SES Students
Source Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data
available at http//www.oecd.org/
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Problems not limited to math, either.
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2003 PISA Problem-Solving Results US 23
Source OECD, PISA. Problem Solving for Todays
World. 2004
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55 of our 15 year olds at problem-solving level
1 or below.

• Closest other country?
• LATVIA

Source OECD Problem Solving for Tomorrows
World. 2004
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One measure on which we rank high?Inequality!
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Performance Of U.S.15 Year-Olds Highly Variable
Of 27 OECD countries
Source OECD, Knowledge and Skills for Life
First Results From PISA 2000, 2001.
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These gaps begin before children arrive at the
schoolhouse door.

• But, rather than organizing our educational
  system to ameliorate this problem, we organize it
  to exacerbate the problem.

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How?

• By giving students who arrive with less, less in
  school, too.

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Some of these lesses are a result of choices
that policymakers make.
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NationInequities in State and Local Revenue Per
Student
Source The Funding Gap, 2004, by Kevin Carey.
Data are for 2002
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Illinois spends 2,065 less per student in its
highest poverty school districts. That
translates into

• 51,625 less for a classroom of 25 students

826,000 less for a school of 400 students
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But some of the lessesindeed, perhaps the
most devastating onesare a function of choices
that educators make.
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Choices we make about what to expect of whom
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Students in Poor Schools Receive As for Work
That Would Earn Cs in Affluent Schools
Source Prospects (ABT Associates, 1993), in
Prospects Final Report on Student Outcomes,
PES, DOE, 1997.
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Choices we make about what to teach whom
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Fewer Latino students are enrolledin Algebra 2
Source CCSSO, State Indicators of Science and
Mathematics Education, 2001
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And choices we make about Whoteaches whom
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Math and Science Classes of Mostly Minority
Students Are More Often Taught by Misassigned
Teachers
Source Jeannie Oakes. Multiplying Inequalities
The Effects of Race, Social Class, and Tracking
on Opportunities to Learn Mathematics and
Science (Rand 1990)
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Poor and Minority Students Get More
Inexperienced Teachers
Teachers with 3 or fewer years of experience.
High and low refer to top and bottom
quartiles. Source National Center for Education
Statistics, Monitoring Quality An Indicators
Report, December 2000.
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Results are devastating.

• Kids who come in a little behind, leave a lot
  behind.

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By the end of high school?
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African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds Do Math
at Same Levels As White 13 Year-Olds
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African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds Read at
Same Levels As White 13 Year-Olds
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So What Can We Do?
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Many educators have concluded that we cant do
much.
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What We Hear Many Educators Say

• Theyre poor
• Their parents dont care
• They come to schools without breakfast
• Not enough books
• Not enough parents . . .

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But if they are right, why are low-income
students and students of color performing so high
in some schools
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Central Elementary

• Paintsville, KY

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Central Elementary

• 71 Low-Income
• 99 White
• Outperformed the district and state in 4th grade
  reading and 5th grade math in 2003
• Made considerable gains in 4th grade reading and
  5th grade math scores

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Making Gains at Central 4th Grade Reading
Source The Department of Education,
http//www.schoolresults.org/
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Making Gains at Central 5th Grade Math
Source The Department of Education,
http//www.schoolresults.org/
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Centennial Place Elementary SchoolAtlanta,
Georgia

• 92 African American
• 64 Low-Income
• Performed in the top 2 of Georgia schools in 4th
  grade reading in 2003
• Performed in top 7 of Georgia schools in 4th
  grade math in 2003

Source Georgia Department of Education,
http//www.doe.k12.ga.us Dispelling
the Myth Online, http//www.edtrust.org
School Information Partnership,
http//www.schoolresults.org
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High Achievement at Centennial Place2004 Reading
Composite
Source Georgia Department of Education,
http//www.doe.k12.ga.us
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Frankford ElementaryFrankford, Delaware

• 29 African-American
• 34 Latino
• 34 White
• 76 Low-Income

Source Delaware Department of Education Online
School Profiles, http//issm.doe.state.de.us/prof
iles/EntitySearch.ASPX
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Frankford ElementaryClosing Gaps, Grade 5 Math
Source Delaware Department of Education, DSTP
Online Reports, http//dstp.doe.k12.de.us/DSTPmar
t/default.asp
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Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High Elmont, New
York

• 75 African American
• 12 Latino
• 11 Asian/Pacific Islander/American Ind.
• 3 White
• 24 Low-Income

Source http//emsc33.nysed.gov/repcrd2004/cir/280
252070002.pdf
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Elmont MemorialHigh Achievement in Mathematics
Source http//emsc33.nysed.gov/repcrd2004/overvie
w-analysis/280252070002.pdf
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Elmont Memorial High Achievement in English
Source http//emsc33.nysed.gov/repcrd2004/overvie
w-analysis/280252070002.pdf
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University Park High SchoolWorcester, MA

• Grades 7-12
• 70 poverty
• 50 ELL
• Most students enter at least two grade levels
  behind.

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University Park Results 2004

• 100 of 10th graders passed MA high school exit
  exam on first attempt.
• 87 passed at advanced or proficient level.
• Fifth most successful school in the state,
  surpassing many schools serving wealthy students.
  

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Source Education Trust analysis of data from
National School-Level State Assessment Score
Database (www.schooldata.org).
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Source Education Trust analysis of data from
National School-Level State Assessment Score
Database (www.schooldata.org).
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Source Education Trust analysis of data from
National School-Level State Assessment Score
Database (www.schooldata.org).
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Source Education Trust analysis of data from
National School-Level State Assessment Score
Database (www.schooldata.org). Data are from 2002.
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Source Education Trust analysis of data from
National School-Level State Assessment Score
Database (www.schooldata.org). Data are from 2002.
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Bottom LineAt Every Level of Education, What We
Do Matters A Lot!
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MOVING FORWARD
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There are a lot of things we can do to raise
achievement and close gaps, including

• Ending the funding inequities that hobble too
  many schools and districts
• Providing high quality pre-k education to all
  low-income children
• Providing extra instructional time for students
  who arrive behind and,
• Providing clear, specific and high quality
  curricula.

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But while all these things can help, they pale in
comparison to the impact of quality teachers.
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Students Who Start 3rd Grade at About the Same
Level of Math Achievement
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
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Finish 5th Grade Math at Dramatically Different
Levels Depending on the Quality of Their Teachers
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
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Students Who Start 3rd Grade at About the Same
Level of Reading Achievement
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
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Finish 5th Grade at Dramatically Different
Levels Depending on the Quality of Their Teachers
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
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Students Assigned to Effective Teachers
Dramatically Outperformed Students Assigned to
Ineffective Teachers
Source William L. Sanders and June C. Rivers,
Cumulative and Residual Effects of Teachers on
Future Students Academic Achievement, University
of Tennessee Value-Added Research and Assessment
Center, 1996.
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EVEN IN ONE YEAR, LOW ACHIEVING STUDENTS IN TN
GAIN MUCH MORE WITH EFFECTIVE TEACHERS
Sanders and Rivers, Cumulative and Residual
Effects of Teachers on Future Academic
Achievement, 1998.
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Good teachers matter a lot.
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MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION

• What do we know about the especially goodor the
  especially badones?

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Answer

• Shockingly little.

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We know

• Teacher effectiveness grows, at least over the
  first few years
• Teachers who know their subjects are more likely
  to be effective, at least in mathematics and

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• Route of entry doesnt seem to make much
  difference.

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New Studies New York, Los Angeles

• Compared value-added over first three years of
  teachers who entered via teacher prep programs,
  TFA, Teaching Fellows and other Alternate Route.
• Found only very small differencesslight
  advantage to traditionally prepared teachers in
  the early grades, especially in reading and a
  slight advantage to alternate route teachers in
  the upper grades, especially in math.

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Moreover,

• The two groups remained in the classroom (three
  year study only) at roughly similar rates.

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This should NOT, however, be interpreted as
meaning that there were few differences among the
teachers.

• Differences were HUGE. For a student, difference
  between drawing teacher at the 25th percentile of
  effectiveness and the 75th percentile of
  effectiveness can be LIFE changing!

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But sadly nothing quantitative in the teacher
record strongly predicted effectiveness.
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We need to learn more.

• But we also need to
• ACT
• on what we know.

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Some steps to consider.
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1. Get Value-Added Systems in Place.

• Last remaining technical obstacle gone.

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2. Look harder at the characteristics, paths of
high- and low-effectiveness teachers in your
system. Recruit more from sources that produce
better results stop recruiting from those that
dont.
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3. Identify low value-added teachers during
their first year if you can provide help, do.
If not, let them go.
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4. Do not allow principals to tenure low
value-added teachers.
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5. Use high value-added teachers as coaches,
models. Pay them more.
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6. Do whatever it takes to get strong teachers
to the students and schools that need them most.
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Classes in High Poverty High Schools More Often
Taught by Misassigned Teachers
Teachers who lack a major or minor in the
field Source National Commission on Teaching and
Americas Future, What Matters Most Teaching for
Americas Future (p.16) 1996.
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Math and Science Classes of Mostly Minority
Students Are More Often Taught by Misassigned
Teachers
Source Jeannie Oakes. Multiplying Inequalities
The Effects of Race, Social Class, and Tracking
on Opportunities to Learn Mathematics and
Science (Rand 1990)
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Poor and Minority Students Get More
Inexperienced Teachers
Teachers with 3 or fewer years of experience.
High and low refer to top and bottom
quartiles. Source National Center for Education
Statistics, Monitoring Quality An Indicators
Report, December 2000.
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1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.
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Devastating Impact
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If we had the courage and creativity to change
current patterns?
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By our estimates from Texas schools, having an
above average teacher for five years running can
completely close the average gap between
low-income students and others. John Kain and
Eric Hanushek
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The Education Trust

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• www.edtrust.org
• Washington, DC 202-293-1217
• Oakland, CA 510-465-6444