School Visit Guide

APPENDIX F
SCHOOL VISIT GUIDE

Study of Secondary Math Teachers from
Alternative Routes to Certification
SCHOOL VISIT TALKING POINTS

This will most often be an informal meeting in the principal’s office. Can be adapted for
other settings.
Quick description of study (should be limited to 5 to 10 minutes; review and embellish
description provided on phone)
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Study team:
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Contracted by U.S. Department of Education
1) Mathematica Policy Research
2) Chesapeake Research Associates
3) Branch Associates
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experienced team: researchers, former teachers and administrators
have conducted similar school-based studies

Basic policy issues and research question:
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Alternative route teachers increasingly depended upon to address teacher shortages

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Teach For America and Teaching Fellows among the most highly selective

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Examine effectiveness of math teachers recruited through highly selective alternative
routes (specifically, Teach For America and Teaching Fellows)

Design approach:
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Will contrast math teachers from Teach For America (and/or the district’s Teaching
Fellows program) with other teachers in your school next year

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Making this contrast in enough schools across the country allows for broad scientific
comparison of TFA and Teaching Fellows teachers with their counterparts from other
certification routes

Minimal burden:
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Study will require very little time/effort by school staff and students

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Study won’t interfere with educational practices

Identifying classroom matches
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Who are the potential treatment teachers at school next year?
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Verify TFA/Teaching Fellows teachers identified by programs and/or district

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Include TFA/Teaching Fellows “alumni” or transfers from other schools

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Treatment teachers need not have been recruited into current position
through TFA/Teaching Fellows

Discuss expectations of vacancies and hiring plans

Which are potential experimental classrooms?
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Use example of next year’s schedule; if unavailable, can demonstrate with current
year schedule

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Establish which are equivalent math classes (content, grade level, ability, language,
etc.)

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Determine which classes are going to be taught or could potentially be taught by
TFA/Teaching Fellows teachers

Find comparisons
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Explore current staff for other possible treatment teachers

Look for naturally occurring potential matches (same class, same period; simple
family matches)
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Is TFA/Teaching Fellows teacher already scheduled to teach part of
match?

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If not, could TFA/Teaching Fellows teacher be switched to teach part of
match?

Can "misaligned" equivalent classes be moved to make match? (e.g. swap 2nd period
math with 4th period English)
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Would TFA/Teaching Fellows teacher be part of match?

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If not, could TFA/Teaching Fellows teacher be switched to teach part of
match?

Verify eligibility of control teachers in potential matches

Establish comparability
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How and when are students assigned to classes and/or families?

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Probe for qualitative differences between classes (e.g. ability, electives, academic
"major")

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Explain and get buy-in for "reshuffling" of students in matched classes
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Required for scientific validity

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Neutralizes unintentional differences in student assignments

Discuss data collection once in study (briefly)
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Classroom rosters
Need them to send rosters of matched classrooms as soon as they are
developed
Need them sent three more times for us to track how students move in
and out of classes

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Student test scores and records
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If high school, describe assessment
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Late Spring 2010: computer-adaptive assessment

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Lasts approximately 75 minutes

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We provide the computers and proctors

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Adaptability means all students tested at their own ability level

Mention district plan for providing records

Teacher contact form
o Completed by teachers in the study in Fall 2009

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Teacher survey
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30 minute online survey

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$30 compensation for completing

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Teacher assessment still under consideration by ED; details to follow

Verify consent process agreed to by district (if required)

Establish timeline for future contact with school
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Teacher background forms (complete and return)

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Finalize master schedule (share with study when complete)

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Verify matches

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Sign workplan

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Conduct random assignment

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Verify random assignment, staffing, and schedule

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Rolling random assignment and mobility updates

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Roster checks

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Data collection

Agree on who/how/when to complete teacher background forms (recruiter to label
forms with teachers' names and keep list for follow-up)
THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME.