Linking Student Level Data to Teacher Professional Development Using a Value-Added Model
Abstract
The ultimate goal of the MSP program is to improve student outcomes in math and science. The underlying assumption of the program is that professional development for teachers will lead to enhanced teacher quality and to higher student performance. The purpose of this paper is to estimate whether the Appalachian Math and Science Partnership (AMSP) resulted in improved scores for students of those teachers who participated in the program. To assess whether AMSP had an effect on student outcomes, this paper uses a value-added model to estimate the effects of the AMSP intervention while controlling for other factors expected to influence student test scores. The preliminary estimates suggest there are statistically significant improvements in math scores for those students whose teachers have participated in AMSP interventions.
