Designed for impact
Our Research
JET’s unique approach builds on a powerful body of research on student achievement, teacher effectiveness, and racial and cultural representation in education. Our model was designed to create impact where it counts: in classrooms with students.
Teachers matter.
JET’s focus on educator advancement is driven by our commitment to generating greater equity for students in underserved urban communities.
Research says: Teachers are the most important school-based influence on student achievement.
Opper, I. M. (2019). Teachers matter: understanding teachers’ impact on student achievement. Rand Corporation.
JET’s theory of action: By recruiting and supporting quality teachers for high-need school districts, we can improve academic and life outcomes for our most vulnerable students.
Teacher diversity matters.
More specifically, we focus on recruiting and training diverse teachers who match the demographics of students in high-need urban districts.
Research says: Students of color are more likely to attend school regularly, perform better on assessments, graduate, and consider college when they have a teacher who shares their racial identity and demonstrates an understanding of their prior experiences, cultural frameworks, and learning styles.
Gereshenson, S, Hart, C., Hyman, J., Lindsay, C., & Papageorge, N.W. (2018). The long-run impacts of same-race teachers. National Bureau of Economic Research.
Redding, C. (2019). A teacher like me: A review of the effect of student-teacher racial/ethnic matching on teacher perceptions of students and student academic and behavioral outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 89 (4), 499-535.
Villegas, A., & Irvine, J. (2010). Diversifying the teaching force: An examination of major arguments. Urban Review, 42: 175-192.
JET’s theory of action: Closing the achievement gap between majority white schools and more diverse cities requires investment in a more diverse teacher workforce.
Teacher retention matters.
Students need teachers who stay in the classroom long enough to make a difference.
Research says: Teachers become more effective as they accumulate experience, particularly in the first few years. Meanwhile, high rates of teacher turnover have a negative impact on student achievement.
Kini, T. & Podolsky, A. (2016). Does teaching experience increase teacher effectiveness? A review of research. Learning Policy Institute.
Ronfeldt, M., S. Loeb, and J. Wyckoff. (2012). How teacher turnover harms student achievement. American Institutes of Research.
JET’s theory of action: JET intentionally recruits and selects local school paraprofessionals who, given their prior commitment to education and community ties, are more likely to remain in the classroom and in the schools that need them.
"Completing my education within a cohort gave me the support I needed. I could not have continued my education without this support…Today I feel very proud of my accomplishment, and I am happy to be teaching in my own classroom.”
— JET graduate