The effects of teacher quality variables on students' mathematics achievement

The purpose of the present study was to examine a conceptual model relating teacher quality variables and their effect on one another and on student achievement in mathematics. Data related to elementary and middle school teachers' educational background, teaching experience, mathematics content knowledge, instructional practices, and personal and general mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs were analyzed to determine if there were significant relationships among these teacher quality variables and if these variables were useful for explaining their students' performance on a state and national assessment of mathematics achievement.;For the study, 86 teachers completed an extensive questionnaire which collected teacher quality data. Student data related to performance over two years on both a state and nationally administered mathematics test were available for 46 teachers. Statistical analysis for the study included descriptive and factor analysis as well as multiple regression and path analysis to investigate the proposed conceptual model.;Disregarding nonsignificant effects and significant relationships that were found to be only negligibly related, the following can be stated from the study's results. Students' prior achievement continues to be the best predictor of their subsequent achievement. Teachers' use of those instructional practices recommended by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) do appear to have a positive impact on student achievement. Teaching experience in mathematics, too, appears to have a positive impact on student achievement in this area. Teachers' instructional practices are positively impacted by general mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs and, again, teaching experience.;The present study provides insight into the relationship among teacher quality variables and student achievement at the upper elementary and middle school level. While the research literature is divided on the question of the impact of teaching experience, the results of this study provide evidence that mathematics teaching experience does have a positive impact on student achievement in that area. The findings also support prior research which has indicated that more use of the NCTM-recommended instructional practices is associated with higher student achievement---even when measured by standardized, multiple choice tests---which provides support for the continued and expanded implementation of these instructional practices.