Title page
Contents
Key findings 1
Summary 3
Why this study? 8
What the study examined 10
What the study found 13
Having a teacher with bilingual certification was associated with higher growth in math and reading achievement among English learner students in grade 4 but lower growth in math... 13
Having a teacher with bilingual certification was associated with higher or lower growth in English proficiency among English learner students in grade 4 or 5 compared with having.. 14
Having a teacher with English as a second language certification was not associated with higher or lower growth in math achievement, reading achievement, or English proficiency.. 15
Having a teacher with bilingual certification through the alternative route was associated with the highest growth in math achievement among English learner students in grade 4 15
Having a teacher with bilingual certification through the additional exam route and having a teacher with English as a second language certification through the traditional route were... 16
Having a teacher with bilingual certification through the traditional route was associated with the highest growth in reading achievement among English learner students in grade 4 18
No route to bilingual or English as a second language certification was associated with higher or lower growth in reading achievement among English learner students in grade 5... 19
Having a teacher with bilingual certification through the postbaccalaureate route was associated with the highest growth in English proficiency among English learner students in grade 4 19
Having a teacher with English as a second language certification through the traditional route was associated with the highest growth in English proficiency among English learner students in grade 4 19
Having a teacher with bilingual certification through the alternative route was associated with the highest growth in English proficiency among English learner students in grade 5 20
Implications of the study findings 21
Limitations of the study 22
Appendix A. Literature review 24
Appendix B. Data, sample, and methodology 27
Appendix C. Detailed results 36
Appendix D. Results for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills 38
References 44
Table 1. Effect on growth in math and reading achievement and English proficiency among English learner students in the Houston Independent School District, by grade and teacher... 14
Table 2. Effect on growth in math and reading achievement and English proficiency among English learner students in the Houston Independent School District, by grade, teacher certification... 16
Figure 1. Having a teacher with bilingual certification was associated with growth in math and reading achievement among English learner students in grade 4 in the Houston Independent School... 13
Figure 2. Having a teacher with bilingual certification through the alternative route was associated with the highest growth in math achievement among English learner students in grade 4 in the... 15
Figure 3. Having a teacher with bilingual certification through the additional exam route and having a teacher with English as a second language certification through the traditional route were... 17
Figure 4. Having a teacher with bilingual certification through the traditional route was associated with the highest growth in reading achievement among English learner students in grade 4... 18
Figure 5. Having a teacher with bilingual certification through the postbaccalaureate route was associated with the highest growth in English proficiency among English learner students in grade... 20
Figure 6. Having a teacher with bilingual certification through the alternative route was associated with the highest growth in English proficiency among English learner students in grade 5... 21
Boxes
Box 1. Key terms 9
Box 2. Data and methods 11
Table B1. Predictors of student achievement included in the study models 28
Table B2. Student cohorts included in the study, by school year, assessment, and grade 29
Table B3. Number of students in the Houston Independent School District population and study sample, by grade, analysis, and subject 30
Table B4. Number of teachers in the Houston Independent School District population and study sample, by grade, analysis, and subject 30
Table B5. Percentage of teachers in the analysis of math and reading achievement who were fully certified and percentage who were not fully certified, by certification type, subject, grade, and analysis 31
Table B6. Percentage of teachers in the study sample, by certification type, subject, certification route, grade, and year 32
Table B7. Percentage of teachers in the analysis of English proficiency who were fully certified and who were not fully certified, by certification type and grade 33
Table B8. Dependent variables, predictor variables, and analysis procedures for research questions 1 and 2, by research question 34
Table C1. Selected parameter results of regressions using teacher characteristics to predict growth among English learner students in grade 4 in the Houston Independent School District, by model and subject 36
Table C2. Selected parameter results of regressions using teacher characteristics to predict growth among English learner students in grade 5 in the Houston Independent School District, by model and subject 37
Table D1. Selected parameter results of regressions using teacher characteristics to predict growth in math achievement on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills among English learner students... 38
Table D2. Effect on growth in achievement among English learner students in the Houston Independent School District between 2005/06 and 2010/11, by grade, subject, teacher certification type, and... 39
Table D3. Selected parameter results of regressions using teacher characteristics to predict growth in reading achievement on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills among English learner students... 40
Table D4. Selected parameter results of regressions using teacher characteristics to predict growth in math achievement on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills among English learner students in... 41
Table D5. Selected parameter results of regressions using teacher characteristics to predict growth in reading achievement on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills among English learner students in... 42