What the Research Says

Math Scores Rise when Teachers Are Certified

Students learn more math when their teachers are certified, according to three new studies. The studies examined math scores on standardized tests and found that, when other factors are accounted for, students whose teachers are certified do better than students whose teachers have temporary or emergency credentials.

• Kristie Rowley of Vanderbilt University looked at data from a federal initiative that tests kindergarteners in the fall and spring. She found that by spring students of certified teachers had higher math scores.

• The American Institutes of Research (AIR) found that eighth graders whose teachers were certified scored an average of 9 points higher on the math portion of the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

• The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory and University of Texas at Austin examined 578,000 Texas middle schoolers' math scores on the state standardized test and found that students taught by certified teachers showed greater improvement.

Read more about the studies in Education Week (registration required), or download the AIR study, "Prepared to Teach" ( PDF, 23 pages ). April 2004

How U.S. Students Rank in Math and Science

The Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), formerly known as the Third International Math and Science Study, is the most rigorous and comprehensive study of math and science teaching and learning in the United States and approximately 70 other countries. The TIMSS Web site features highlights and trends from the latest study, including rankings by country of students' math and science achievement. The United States will next collect data in Spring 2007.

The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a new system of international assessments that focus on 15-year-olds' capabilities in reading, math and scientific literacy. The assessment is administered every three years and covers 32 countries. The assessment was administered in 2000, 2003,  and 2006.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called "The Nation's Report Card," is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of American students' progress. NAEP tests students in reading and mathematics every two years in grades 4 and 8, and administered its latest nationwide science assessment in 2005.  In the past, states' participation in NAEP has been voluntary, but the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also called "No Child Left Behind") mandates that every state must test a sample of their fourth and eighth grade students every other year in reading and math. NAEP will serve as an independent benchmark to ensure that state standards and tests are challenging enough.

Inside the Classroom provides a snapshot of how math and science are taught across the U.S., from Horizon Research with support from the National Science Foundation.

Math Reform that Works

The ARC Tri-State Student Achievement Study examined the performance of students who use the three elementary programs supported by the ARC Center and the National Science Foundation — Math Trailblazers; Investigations in Number, Data, and Space; and Everyday Mathematics — on state-mandated standardized tests administered in spring 2000. Students taught with these three math reform curricula consistently outperformed their peers on achievement tests. According to the ARC study, these curricula improve student performance in elementary math — both in basic skills and higher-level processes.

Science Teaching and Learning

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has funded several long-term science education initiatives where teachers, administrators and parents work together to improve student learning. Read the results of the 2006 LSC Capstone Report: Lessons from a Decade of Mathematics and Science Reform. These are from a comprehensive study of the content-focused teacher professional development. Results are based upon ten years of data, including questionnaires, observations, and interviews with teachers of science, mathematics, and/or technology engaged in the National Science Foundation-supported Local Systemic Change through Teacher Enhancement Initiative.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has released reports on the status of science teaching at various grade levels: The Status of Elementary Science Teaching, The Status of Secondary Earth Science Teaching, and Improving Science Teaching Through Research and Development.