ABCTE Launches Teacher Effectiveness Study

WASHINGTON, DC (October 12, 2005) — The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence today announced that a leading national research firm, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., will conduct a comprehensive longitudinal study of the effectiveness of ABCTE-certified teachers. The goal of the five-year longitudinal study is to determine how successfully teachers certified through the American Board advance student achievement in classrooms throughout the country.

The $1.2 million study will begin in Fall 2005 and examine the Passport to Teaching and, when implemented, the Master Teacher programs offered by the American Board.  The study first aims to measure Passport to Teaching-certified teachers’ impact on student learning, as well as to measure teacher retention.  The second phase of the study will measure Master-certified teachers’ impact on student learning and teacher retention rates.

The American Board made a commitment to conduct the longitudinal study in 2003 when the U.S. Department of Education awarded the organization a five year, $35 million grant.    Starting in the Spring of 2005, a Technical Advisory Committee comprised of leading evaluation and psychometric experts studied several proposals and selected Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. to conduct the study. The Technical Advisory Committee will provide ongoing technical guidance during the Longitudinal Study.

For more than 35 years, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc has been recognized for its high-quality, objective research. The firm has conducted some of the most important studies of health care, welfare, education, employment, nutrition, and early childhood policies and programs in the United States.

“We are confident that Mathematica will develop a valuable and reliable study that will fulfill our commitment to the U.S. Department of Education, Congress and the American people,” said Acting CEO  Dave Saba.  “We want the public to know that our program really does certify highly effective teachers, well prepared for success in the classroom.  Because we are so confident in the program, we are putting through this rigorous test.”

The first year of the study will consist of a pilot test of teachers certified through Passport to Teaching.  In the other four years, the study will compare Passport to Teaching teachers with traditionally certified teachers by examining student learning gains and teacher retention rates in both populations.

America needs 2.4 million new teachers over the next 10 years, and the American Board is working hard to encourage more talented professionals from diverse backgrounds to pursue teaching. The American Board’s Passport to Teaching program is a premier national certification option– considered a “breakthrough” solution for highly knowledgeable career changers.

Individuals with bachelor’s degrees can earn the Passport to Teaching certification by demonstrating mastery on the American Board’s rigorous subject area and professional teaching knowledge examinations. Additional college courses are not required unless the certification candidate chooses to participate in them for preparation purposes.

Passport to Teaching is recognized as a route to state certification in Florida, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Idaho and Utah. Many charter and private schools nationwide also recognize the certification, which is offered in a variety of subject areas.

For more information, or to request a free Introduction Kit, visit www.abcte.org.

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The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (www.abcte.org) was created in 2001 to address the need for a highly qualified teacher in every American classroom. The American Board offers the rigorous, five-step Passport to TeachingSM certification process for knowledgeable and passionate individuals entering the teaching field. Passport to Teaching offers individualized learning plans for teaching candidates to complement the knowledge and skills they have obtained through previous work experience.

The American Board is also developing a Master TeacherSM certification to recognize current teachers who significantly advance student achievement. Master Teacher should be available in 2006.

The American Board is recognized as an approved provider of teacher certification in the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.