Knowledge Management 

Education 

State of the Practice Report

Submitted: August 19, 2015

Submitted to:

Adrienne DiTommaso

Corporation for National and Community Service

1201 New York Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20525

Submitted by:

JBS International, Inc.

Aguirre Division

555 Airport Blvd, Suite 400

Burlingame, CA 94010-2002
Table of Contents

Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................2

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................1

School Readiness for Economically Disadvantaged Young Children................................................1

State of the Practice for School Readiness ..........................................................................................1

Educational and Behavioral Outcomes for K-12 Students...................................................................1

State of the Practice for Educational and Behavioral Outcomes for K-12 Students .....................2

Literacy Tutoring...............................................................................................................................2

Preparation for and Prospects of Success in Post-secondary Education............................................5

State of the Practice for Preparation and Prospects of Success in Post-secondary Education....6

Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................7

Appendix A: Eligibility Criteria for National Service Review ............................................................8

Appendix B: Inclusion Criteria for the State of the Practice Brief.....................................................10

Appendix C: Levels of Evidence............................................................................................................11

Levels of Evidence for Individual Studies .......................................................................................11

Overall Levels of Evidence Determinations for Focus Areas........................................................11

Appendix D: Included Studies...............................................................................................................12

School Readiness..................................................................................................................................12

K-12 Education.....................................................................................................................................14

Literacy Tutoring.............................................................................................................................14

Teach For America ..........................................................................................................................17

Post-secondary Preparation and Prospects for Success .................................................................21
State of the Practice

National Service Education 

Initiatives

August 19, 2015

1

Introduction

This brief highlights successful strategies identified in impact studies of national service

programs with positive findings in the Education priority area. The aim of this brief is to 

provide program staff and funders with insights into successful programs and strategies for 

using national service participants to support education outcomes. A systematic search to 

identify published academic and grey literature following a predetermined search and review 

protocol identified 332 documents pertaining to CNCS-supported education programs. There 

were 69 documents in the identified literature that described education program impact 

studies1. Of these, 11 documents summarizing 10 high-quality studies of successful education 

programs were analyzed for this report. See Appendix A for overall eligibility criteria, 

Appendix B for inclusion criteria for this brief, Appendix C for definition of the Level of 

Evidence categories, and Appendix D for an annotated bibliography for each of the studies

reviewed in this brief.

School Readiness for Economically Disadvantaged Young Children

To facilitate school readiness for economically disadvantaged young children, CNCS supports 

members, participants, and volunteers to develop or engage in practices that include teaching, 

small group and one-on-one tutoring, and/or providing education-related support services. 

Priority measures of impacts for this area address: 1) the social and emotional development of 

young children; 2) literacy skills; and/or 3) numeracy (math) skills.

State of the Practice for School Readiness

Positive impacts were found in two quasi-experimental (QED) studies on the effect of CNCS 

programs on school readiness (Table 1).

 

1 The most rigorous impact studies in each of the three focus areas were selected for review. The majority 

of the 69 impact studies were in the K-12 focus area. Six studies providing strong evidence for two 

successful strategies in this domain were selected. Literature on school readiness and post-secondary 

preparation and success was less robust; four studies with preliminary, moderate, or strong evidence of 

success in these areas were selected.
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Table 1: School Readiness Summary

Program Study

Design Type

Positive 

Outcomes Program Components 

Minnesota 

Reading 

Corps PreK 

QED- Groups 

formed by 

matching 

Literacy  Targeted small group and one-to-one

interventions

 Focused on 5 literacy outcome areas

 Whole class literacy enrichment

Jumpstart QED – Nonequivalent 

comparison 

groups 

 Literacy

 Socialemotional 

development 

 One-to-one and small group settings

 Biweekly 2-hour long sessions during school 

year

 Implemented in community-based, early 

education, and child care settings

Minnesota Reading Corps PreK AmeriCorps members provide whole-class literacy enrichment for 

all students, as well as targeted small group and one-to-one interventions focusing on: 1) 

conversational skills; 2) vocabulary and background knowledge; 3) book and print rules; 4) 

phonological awareness; and 5) alphabet knowledge. A rigorous quasi-experimental study of 

the Minnesota Reading Corps PreK program revealed statistically significant improvements in 

each of the five areas of focus. A key to the program’s success is the coordination of whole-class 

instruction with one-to-one interventions. Additionally, the program uses a common teaching

system and structured language and literacy education strategies that support maintenance of

program implementation fidelity.

Jumpstart engages AmeriCorps members to provide an education intervention focusing on 

language, literacy, initiative, and social skill acquisition in one-to-one and small group settings 

in biweekly two-hour long sessions during the school year. The program is implemented in 

community-based, early education, and child care center settings. Members spend six hours a 

week in children’s classrooms assisting teachers or working with students. A quasiexperimental evaluation found Jumpstart participant groups made gains on measured school 

readiness indicators relative to an unmatched comparison group. Measured growth in literacy 

and social-emotional development was statistically significantly greater than the gains made by 

comparison group children. This study described program characteristics, but did not indicate 

which program components were key to achieving positive outcomes. Although three different 

Jumpstart modifications (traditional one on one Jumpstart programming, Jumpstart programming 

with additional in-classroom Jumpstart group support, and in-classroom Jumpstart support only) 

were tested in the study, all appeared to be relatively equal. 

Educational and Behavioral Outcomes for K-12 Students

To improve educational and behavioral outcomes of students in low-achieving elementary, 

middle, and high schools, CNCS supports members, participants, and volunteers engaged in: 1) 

teaching, tutoring, and/or mentoring; 2) providing supportive services to assist school staff; 3) 

providing extended learning programs in cooperation with school systems; and 4) delivering 

other types of school improvement support. Additionally, CNCS members, participants, and 
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volunteers engage in service-learning projects and provide assistance to higher education 

institutions and alternative teacher certification programs (e.g., Teach for America) to increase the 

number of teachers and teaching aids working in low-achieving schools. The priority measure 

of impact for this strategy is improved student academic performance.

State of the Practice for Educational and Behavioral Outcomes for K-12 Students

Two strategies yielded positive impacts in K-12 academic outcomes: 1) literacy tutoring; and 2) 

alternative teacher certification through Teach for America.

Literacy Tutoring

Three randomized controlled trials (RCT) of programs incorporating AmeriCorps volunteers 

demonstrated improvements in literacy outcomes (Table 2).

In the Reading Partners program, AmeriCorps members coordinate instruction provided by nonnational service volunteer tutors recruited from the community. Participating tutors consist of 

high school, college or graduate students, and working, unemployed, transitioning or retired 

adults. Tutors provided regular individualized one-to-one reading instruction using a 

structured curriculum. Additionally, Reading Partners AmeriCorps members serve as outreach 

coordinators, tasked with recruiting volunteers to staff each program site. A randomized 

controlled trial of Reading Partners demonstrated a positive and statistically significant impact 

on student reading comprehension, fluency, and sight word reading efficiency. The success of 

Reading Partners was attributed to a structured curriculum that allows system-wide 

implementation fidelity and for tutors to begin implementation with little prior formal 

preparation. Additionally, communication structures are in place to help ensure that student 

learning is not interrupted when a different individual conducts the tutoring or if a session is 

rescheduled due to student or tutor absence.

Table 2: Literacy Tutoring Summary

Program Study

Design Type

Positive 

Outcomes 

Program Components

Reading

Partners 

RCT Literacy  AmeriCorps members as outreach 

coordinators / volunteer recruiters

 One-to-one tutoring by non-national service 

volunteer tutors

 Evidence-based structured literacy curriculum

 Communication systems ensure disruptions 

(e.g., new tutors, missed sessions) do not 

interfere with progress

Experience 

Corps

RCT Literacy  One-to-one tutoring by AmeriCorps volunteers

 Evidence-based structured literacy curriculum

 Dosage (> 35 sessions) led to greater outcomes

Minnesota 

Reading 

Corps 

RCT Literacy  One-to-one tutoring by AmeriCorps volunteers

 Evidence-based structured literacy curriculum 
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In Experience Corps, members provide one-to-one literacy tutoring to first through third grade 

students using a structured curriculum. An RCT of Experience Corps revealed overall significant 

positive effects on students’ literacy performance. Additional analysis revealed stronger effects 

(Effect Sizes (ES).13 to .17 vs. ES = .004 to.07) for participants who received the program model’s

recommended standard of at least 35 sessions.

Minnesota Reading Corps (MRC) members provide whole-class literacy enrichment for all 

students in participating classrooms, as well as targeted small group and one-to-one emergent 

literacy interventions. Members individually tutor 15-18 students daily, providing a set of 

prescribed, research-validated activities. An RCT of MRC found that kindergarten, first, and 

third grade students who received MRC tutoring achieved significantly higher literacy 

assessment scores than students who did not. The evaluation found no significant differences in 

student outcomes based on the characteristics of tutors. The study authors attribute the success 

of the program, despite the diversity of tutors, to training, supervisory/coaching supports, and 

scripted, proven interventions, which allow a range of volunteers without a background in the 

education field to significantly impact student literacy performance.

Teach for America, a member of the AmeriCorps national service network, recruits individuals 

who have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university to serve as teachers 

for two years at TFA partner public schools in low-income communities. Once selected for a 

TFA position, candidates may be eligible to enroll as a member of AmeriCorps. TFA teachers 

receive five weeks of intensive training in a summer program that includes a student teaching

component. TFA is the most studied of the Education programs identified in the literature 

search.2

Three randomized controlled trials of Teach for America (TFA) found that students in TFA classes 

performed as well or better than students in non-TFA classes (Table 3).

 

2 Teach for America was by far the most frequently studied national service program, representing over 

half of the 75 impact studies in the Education focus area. The majority of these were QEDs with nonequivalent comparison groups. 
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Table 3: Teach for America Summary

Year Study

Design Type

Positive 

Outcomes Population Program Components

2004 RCT Math 1

st through 5th graders  Highly selective program, 

accepting less than 20% of 

applicants

2013 RCT Math 6

th through 12th

graders

 Teachers have strong 

academic background, but 

may have no training in 

education or prior teaching 

experience

2015 RCT Literacy 

(subgroup)

Study on pre-K 

through 5th graders, 

small but significant 

improvement in 

literacy only found in 

pre-K through 2nd

grade students 

 Intensive 5-week summer 

training includes practice 

experience

 Professional development 

throughout the year, 

sometimes including 

additional coursework

Since 2004, three RCT evaluations of the impact of TFA teachers on student academic outcomes 

have been conducted. The first two evaluations determined TFA teachers have a statistically 

significant positive impact on student math achievement. The first study also found that 

positive effects in math performance were even more pronounced when TFA teachers were 

compared to other non-traditionally certified teachers (ES = .26 vs. .15). The third RCT, which 

was conducted in the first two years of a large effort to scale-up the TFA program, did not find 

an advantage in reading or math overall, though it did identify a positive TFA impact on 

student reading achievement for a subgroup of younger students. In all three cases, programs 

shared the same features, which are considered to be essential to program success: a highly 

selective admissions process, an intensive 5-week summer training that includes a student 

teaching component, and additional pre-service training and professional development 

throughout the year. Although TFA teachers recruited through the scale-up differed 

demographically in some ways than previous TFA members, due to an intentional effort to 

recruit high-performing students with more diverse backgrounds, selection criteria did not 

change, and those accepted to the program had similar undergraduate GPAs and SAT scores.

In the third study, though the authors did not find evidence of different implementation of 

program components in the first two years of the scale-up, they did note decreasing satisfaction 

among TFA members with the summer institute and other pre-service training. It is also noted 

that, in the first two studies, a high percentage of teachers in the control group were not 

traditionally certified and a low percentage had attended selective schools, while in the third 

study, only 15 percent of non-TFA teachers were not traditionally certified, and 40 percent had 

attended selective schools.
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Overall, the studies investigating the impact of TFA indicate that students in TFA classes

generally perform as well or better in math than students in other classes, particularly when 

TFA teachers are compared to other novice teachers. For example, there are several quasiexperimental studies utilizing administrative data that indicate that math scores for students of 

TFA teachers are either comparable or better than scores of students from non-TFA teachers 

matched for level of experience3. In general experience has a positive effect for both TFA and 

non-TFA teachers. However, TFA program impacts on reading are inconclusive, as some studies 

have found that students in TFA classes perform as well or better on measures of reading, while 

others have found that they perform worse than students in other classes. TFA teachers’ high 

rate of attrition is also a concern for researchers4. TFA does fulfill a need of supplying teachers 

in typically hard to staff schools that may otherwise have a high proportion of non-traditionally 

certified teachers, but there is debate regarding the long-term sustainability and impact of TFA

teachers on school performance.

Preparation for and Prospects of Success in Post-secondary Education

To support improved prospects and preparation for post-secondary education for economically 

disadvantaged students, CNCS programs include mentoring, counseling, academic, enrollment, 

and retention support activities. Priority measures of impact for this strategy are: 1) the 

provision of counseling and guidance associated with skills needed for college preparation and 

success; 2) student application for and enrollment in a post-secondary institution; and 3) 

student continuation to a second year of post-secondary education.

 

3 Xu, Zeyu, Jane Hannaway, and Colin Taylor. Making a Difference? The Effects of Teach For America in High 

School. Washington, DC: Urban Institute, March 2008.; Henry, Gary T., Kevin C. Bastian, C. Kevin Fortner, 

David C. Kershaw, Kelly M. Purtell, Charles L. Thompson, and Rebecca A. Zulli. Teacher Preparation 

Policies and Their Effects on Student Achievement. Education Finance and Policy, vol. 9, no. 3, 2014, pp. 

264–303.

4 Heilig, J. V., & Jez, S. J. (2014). Teach For America: A return to the evidence. Boulder, CO: National 

Education Policy Center.
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State of the Practice for Preparation and Prospects of Success in Post-secondary Education

Positive impacts on post-secondary preparation were found in one randomized controlled trial 

and in one quasi-experimental study (Table 4).

Table 4: Post-secondary Preparation and Success Summary

Program Study 

Design Type

Positive 

Outcomes Program Components

College 

Possible

RCT College 

application and 

enrollment 

 Coaches for low-income students provide SAT 

and ACT test preparation, and guidance on 

college applications, financial aid, and 

transition to college

 320 hours of service in two-year after-school 

program starting junior year of high school

 Students apply to program and perform 

community service in exchange for services

 High schools provide coaches with office space 

full-time Monday -Friday for office hours and 

classroom space after school for lessons 

National 

College 

Advising 

Corps 

(NCAC) 

QED – Nonequivalent 

comparison 

groups 

Knowledge, 

attitudes, and 

behaviors related 

to college 

application and 

enrollment

 College graduates placed as advisers in 

underserved high schools

 Students may choose to meet with adviser; 

high school seniors are most likely to do so

 Advisers typically meet regularly with primary 

school contact, which is most commonly school 

guidance counselor

 Advisers receive training on multiple topics 

College Possible AmeriCorps members serve as coaches who guide high school students through 

the key aspects of preparing for college, including SAT and ACT test preparation , admissions, 

and financial aid consulting. High schools provide coaches with office space for office hours 

during the week and classroom space after school hours for instruction. Low-income students 

apply as high school sophomores and are provided with 320 hours of support in their junior 

and senior year. Students perform eight hours of community service per year. An RCT found 

College Possible to have significant positive effects on the number of students applying for and 

enrolling in four year colleges.

The National College Advising Corps (NCAC) program utilizes recent college graduates, including 

AmeriCorps members, to serve as full-time college advisers in America’s underserved high

schools. Advisers collaborate with teachers and administrators to tie college plans into the life 

of a school and devise creative approaches to reach and connect with students, including 

assisting students with the college admissions process and assisting families with Free 

Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms. A QED study of NCAC advisers using a 

non-equivalent comparison group demonstrated positive effects in multiple areas, including 

student college aspirations, the use of a fee waiver for college applications, and knowledge of 
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financial aid. A greater impact occurred for first-generation college students than non-first 

generation students.

Conclusion

As revealed through a substantial literature review, CNCS-supported programs serving in the 

Education priority area with positive outcomes for their service recipients share several 

characteristics, including intensive, individualized one-on-one or small group support 

operating in concert with educational settings where participants are already located.

A common trait of the programs using national service volunteers to improve children’s school 

readiness is the provision of learning support by volunteers within a child’s current educational 

setting (e.g., classroom). Volunteers provided this support in both one-to-one and small group 

settings. Consistent with the current knowledge base, the provision of support within the 

current educational setting is beneficial for student outcomes because it allows volunteers to: 1) 

enable teachers to better differentiate and individualize instruction for all children; and 2) 

provide more intensive support for those who require it, in an environment where children are 

already comfortable.

Three literacy programs demonstrated positive outcomes in K-12 settings. Common among 

Reading Partners, Experience Corps, and Minnesota Reading Corps was the use of an evidencebased structured literacy enrichment curriculum delivered by volunteers to students in one-toone settings. Implementing a structured curriculum can allow for efficient training, and 

partially mitigate differentiation in volunteer pedagogical skill and content knowledge. 

Additionally, structured programs allow implementers greater ability to monitor and maintain 

program fidelity.

Teach for America places college graduates with strong academic backgrounds in low-income 

traditionally hard to staff schools. TFA teachers, who many not have any education training or 

experience, receive short but intensive training that includes a practice component. TFA

attributes its effectiveness to a combination of strategic recruitment, a highly selective process 

for determining which applicants have the greatest chances of succeeding, intensive short-term 

pre-training, and ongoing support and professional development. Research has indicated that 

TFA generally has a positive or neutral effect on student math performance, but that its effects 

on reading performance are more mixed. One study noted that effects of TFA are more positive 

when compared to non-traditionally certified teachers. TFA may be particularly important for 

subjects such as secondary math and science that face particularly high shortages of certified 

teachers in disadvantaged schools. Studies have also identified challenges in terms of TFA

teacher satisfaction and retention.

Programs demonstrating improvements in post-secondary preparation used national service 

volunteers to provide one-on-one support to students within high schools. Similar to programs 

to improve school readiness, both College Possible and NCAC’s provided services within the 

current educational setting, which may have been a key component. However, no program 

components were explicitly identified as being integral to success.
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Appendix A: Eligibility Criteria for National Service Review

1. The document is factual (versus opinion5).

o The document is referring first-hand to research findings, using original or 

secondary data collection, a synthesis of the literature, or a systematic 

review/meta-analysis.

o The document is not an Op-Ed, testimonial, or marketing material.

2. The study is relevant to CNCS-sponsored National Service or CNCS.

o The study is conducted on a program that, at the time of the study, engaged 

AmeriCorps State/National, NCCC or VISTA Members, Senior Corps Volunteers, 

or was funded by SIF or a SIF Grantee. A program refers to an ongoing service

and does not include short term special initiative projects.

o The study is conducted on a program model that currently engages AmeriCorps 

members or Senior Corps volunteers, even if the study itself does not identify or 

include specific program sites with AmeriCorps members or Senior Corps 

volunteers (e.g., studies of Reading Partners, City Year).6

o The program’s outcomes are applicable to CNCS. The study investigates the 

effectiveness of volunteers or national service programs in the focus areas of

Education, Economic Opportunity, Healthy Futures, Environment, or Disaster 

Services and Response.

3. The document is in English.

4. The document is a final report for the program, project or evaluation rather than an 

interim or progress report.7

5. The document was published after 1990 but before the search kickoff date (February 

1

st 2015), is a seminal document as indicated by citations in post-1990 literature, or was 

recommended for inclusion by a key stakeholder.

 

5 Factual documents report data or other information in a manner that is subject to empirical verification. 

Opinion documents pass judgment on the value or merit of a set of facts or circumstances based on a set 

of evaluative criteria that are not strictly subject to empirical verification (e.g., based on moral or political 

considerations).

6

It is anticipated that the review would not include any study of a program that, although it could be 

adapted for national service, is not currently funded by CNCS, with the exception of evidence based 

practices that could be applied in a national service context found in online clearinghouses. 

7 Final reports summarize information about a program or intervention at the end of the program or 

intervention's life or at the end of a major cycle in the program or intervention's life (e.g., at the end of a 

funding period). By contrast, an interim report provides information on the status of a program or 

intervention at an intermediate juncture in its lifecycle. Information provided in an interim report does 

not contain complete information on results, as the program or intervention is still underway at the time 

when the report was written. 
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6. The document does not duplicate information from a previously screened source. 

Where duplicate information is identified, two sources will be listed as a single citation 

and only the latest source will be reviewed.
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Appendix B: Inclusion Criteria for the State of the Practice Brief

The documents in this report represent a subset of documents chosen for complete review in the 

accompanying Education State of the Science Brief. Documents were selected for inclusion this 

Education State of the Practice brief if they:

1. Reported positive outcomes related to one of the three key areas of education addressed 

by CNCS8:

a. Improve school readiness9for economically disadvantaged young children,

b. Improve educational and behavioral outcomes of students in low-achieving 

elementary, middle, and high schools, and

c. Improve the preparation for and prospects of success in post-secondary 

education institutions for economically disadvantaged students;

2. Were among the most rigorous studies demonstrated positive outcomes within one of 

the three key areas; and

3. Clearly described national service volunteers’ role(s) in program implementation.

 

8 Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). (2011). The Corporation for National and 

Community Service Strategic Plan 2011-2015. Washington, DC.

9 School readiness refers to preparation for kindergarten which includes multiple indicators assessed 

across developmental and behavioral domains, including but not limited to physical wellbeing, health 

and motor development, social and emotional development, approaches to learning, language 

development, cognitive development, and age-appropriate skills and behaviors.
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Appendix C: Levels of Evidence

Levels of Evidence for Individual Studies

Strong evidence means the study incorporates a design that can support causal conclusions for 

the specific program with the highest level of confidence (i.e., very high internal validity). This 

would include well-designed and well-implemented experimental studies conducted on the 

proposed program.

Moderate evidence means the study can support causal conclusions for the program studied 

with moderate confidence (i.e., those that take steps to increase internal validity). This would 

include well designed and conducted quasi-experimental studies or correlational research with 

strong statistical controls for selection bias and for discerning the influence of internal factors. 

An example of research that meets the standards would be a well-designed and wellimplemented quasi-experimental study that compares outcomes between the group 

receiving the intervention and a matched comparison group (i.e., a similar population that 

does not receive the intervention).

Preliminary evidence includes non-experimental studies such as those that seek to demonstrate 

improvement in program participants over time on one or more intended outcomes or an 

implementation (process evaluation) study used to learn and improve program operations. 

Examples of these include: 1) outcome studies that track program participants through a service 

pipeline and measure participants’ responses at the end of the program; and 2) pre- and posttest research that determines whether participants have improved on an intended outcome.

This level also includes RCTs and QEDs with significant threats to validity, such as evidence of 

selection bias.

Pre-preliminary evidence would include studies reporting quantitative or qualitative data from 

program staff, program participants, or beneficiaries that have been used for program 

improvement, performance measurement reporting, and/or tracking. An example could be

gathering feedback from program participants following their service year.

Overall Levels of Evidence Determinations for Focus Areas

In determining the overall level of evidence for specific focus areas (e.g., School Readiness), we 

selected the highest level at which there were multiple studies supporting positive outcomes.
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Appendix D: Included Studies

School Readiness

2369 Markovitz, C.; Hernandez, M.; Hedberg, E.; Silberglitt, B. (2014). Outcome evaluation of the Minnesota Reading Corps PreK program. 

Chicago, IL: NORC at the University of Chicago.

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

Minnesota Reading 

Corps PreK

ServeMinnesota 

Action Network

ANCS NORC at the University of Chicago Minnesota

This quasi-experimental evaluation assessed the whether children in the Minnesota Reading Corps PreK program exhibited greater gains in 

literacy than children in a matched comparison group. The study was performed in 25 MRC PreK sites in Minnesota and 25 matched sites. The 

MRC PreK program recruits, trains, places, and monitors AmeriCorps members, who implement evidence-based literacy interventions for atrisk preschool children, using a Response-to-Intervention framework.

The final sample included 1534 students, approximately 52% of whom were White, 11% Black, 7% Asian, 8% Hispanic, and 9% Other. A small 

percentage were Dual Language Learners. Participants in the MRC PreK program had significantly higher scores than children in matched 

comparison sites on five IDGDI outcomes measures for 4- and 5-year old students: 1) letter sound fluency, 2) rhyming fluency, 3) letter name 

fluency, 4) picture name fluency, and 5) alliteration fluency. Effect sizes ranged from .40 to .72. Despite a small sample size, significant effects 

were also found for three-year old participants in measures of rhyming fluency and picture name fluency. Overall, the study provides moderate 

evidence for these findings.
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1357 Miller, S. (2008). 2007-2008 Evaluation of Jumpstart in California. Sacramento, CA: California Jumpstart.

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

Jumpstart Jumpstart ANCS Shelby Miller California

This quasi-experimental evaluation attempted to determine if Jumpstart participants show greater gains than comparison group children over 

the program year on a measure of language, literacy, initiative, and social relational skill development. The sample for this study consists of 891 

pre-school age children from 10 program sites in California, 58% of whom were Hispanic, of which 25% were Spanish only speakers. Jumpstart

provides an educational intervention for preschool-age children who are attending community-based, early education and child care programs 

including Head Start centers and pre-kindergarten classes. AmeriCorps members provided an educational intervention focusing on language, 

literacy, initiative, and social skill acquisition during two-hour long sessions twice a week during the school year in community-based, early 

education, and child care centers. Members spent six additional hours a week in the children’s’ classrooms assisting teachers or working with 

children.

This report on the evaluation of Jumpstart in California is based on the School Success Checklist obtained at the beginning and end of the school 

year. Results indicated Jumpstart participant groups made gains on the School Success Checklist total and its two subscales on literacy and 

social-emotional development that were significantly greater than the gains of the non-matched comparison group children. Overall, the study 

provides preliminary evidence for these findings.
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K-12 Education

Literacy Tutoring

2365 Jacob, R.T., Armstrong, C., Willard, J.A., (2015). Mobilizing volunteer tutors to improve student literacy: Implementation, impacts, and 

costs of the Reading Partners program. New York, NY: MDRC. 

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

Reading Partners Communities in 

Schools

SIF & ASN Robin Tepper Jacob, Institute for Social Research,

University of Michigan

Catherine Armstrong and Jacklyn Altuna Willard, MDRC

California, New 

York, Washington 

DC

This randomized controlled trial assesses the effectiveness of Reading Partners in improving literacy outcomes. The sample for this study 

consists of Reading Partners programs located in 19 schools in California, New York, and Washington, DC, in which Reading Partners had been in 

operation for at least one year. AmeriCorps members serve as Site coordinators who oversee instruction provided by volunteer tutors (not 

AmeriCorps) members. Tutors provide regular individualized one-to-one reading instruction utilizing a structured curriculum. AmeriCorps 

members also serve as Outreach Coordinators, tasked with recruiting volunteers to staff each program site.

Within each of the study schools and within grade groups, students in 2nd-5

th grade who needed assistance in reading were randomly assigned 

to the Reading Partners program or to an “as-is” control condition. A total of 1,265 students were assigned, and the final sample included 1,166 

students. The treatment and control group demonstrated baseline equivalence and did not differ in attrition. Participants in the study were in

low-income communities and included a high percentage of minority (Hispanic) students. The study team administered three reading 

assessments measuring reading comprehension, fluency, and the ability to read sight-words efficiently.

Reading Partners had a positive and statistically significant impact on all three measures of student reading proficiency, with effect-size impacts 

of 0.10 on reading comprehension scores, 0.09 on reading fluency, and 0.11 on sight-word reading. An examination of growth between the 

beginning and end of the year on two of these three assessments shows that both groups scored higher in reading comprehension and fluency 

at the end of the year than they did at the beginning of the year, but that growth on these two assessments was greater for the program group 

than for the control group. On the sight-word reading test, there was no growth among the control group but positive growth for the Reading 

Partners group. Overall, this study provides strong evidence for these findings. 
STATE OF THE PRACTICE NATIONAL SERVICE EDUCATION INITIATIVES

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2492 Center for Social Development (2009). Evaluation of Experience Corps: Student Reading Outcomes. St. Louis, MO: Washington 

University in St. Louis.

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

Experience Corps Experience 

Corps

ASN Center for Social Development at Washington University 

Saint Louis’s Brown School of Social Work

Boston, New York 

City, Port Author 

Texas

This randomized controlled trial assesses the effectiveness of the Experience Corps (EC) program in improving student literacy outcomes. 

Twenty-three schools in Boston, New York City, and Port Arthur, Texas, participated in the study. EC members provide one-to-one literacy 

tutoring using a structured curriculum to 1st through 3rd grade students. Students referred by teachers as needing assistance in reading at the 

beginning of the school year were randomly assigned to the EC program or a control condition.

The total sample included 825 students. A slight majority of students were African American, and a large majority qualified for free or reduced 

lunch. Data for the study came from standardized reading tests: (a) the Woodcock Johnson word attack subscale (WJ-WA), the Woodcock 

Johnson passage comprehension subscale (WJ-PC), and (b) the Peabody Picture Vocabulary test (PPVT-III). At the beginning and end of the 

academic year, teachers completed assessments of grade-specific reading skills and classroom behavior. Analysis of pretest data showed that 

the EC students and control groups were equivalent on all measured characteristics. Referred students were poor readers based on the WJ-PC 

measure, which found that half of the students referred to EC perform as low as or lower than 84% of the students their age nationwide, and 

12% score worse than 97% of the population.

About half of the EC students received 30 to 49 sessions, and the mean number of sessions was 45. Three-quarters of the students received over 

35 sessions, which represents about one session a week throughout the program period. Students in the EC group made over 60 percent more 

progress in word attack and passage comprehension and 40 percent more progress on grade-specific reading skills. Improvements compared to 

control group members were statistically significant, with ES.13 for passage comprehension, (p=.04) and ES.16 for grade specific reading 

(p=.004). The group difference for word attack was marginally significant, with ES.10 (p=.07). Overall, the study provides strong evidence for 

these findings.
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16

2366 Markovitz, C.; Hernandez, M.; Hedberg, E.; Silberglitt, B. (2014). Impact evaluation of the Minnesota Reading Corps K-3 program.

Chicago, IL: NORC at the University of Chicago.

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

Minnesota Reading 

Corps (MRC)

ServeMinnesota

Action Network

ACNS Carrie E. Markovitz, Ph.D., Principal Research Scientist, 

NORC at the University of Chicago

Marc W. Hernandez, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, 

NORC at the University of Chicago

Eric C. Hedberg, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, NORC

at the University of Chicago

Benjamin Silberglitt, Ph.D., Director of Software 

Applications, TIES

Minnesota 

This randomized controlled trial assesses the effectiveness of the Minnesota Reading Corps (MRC) in improving student literacy outcomes. 

Twenty-three schools that had fully implemented the MRC K-3 program for at least two consecutive years participated in the study. In this 

program, AmeriCorps members provide whole-class literacy enrichment for all students, and targeted small group and one-to-one emergent 

literacy interventions. Members individually tutor 15-18 students daily, providing a set of prescribed, research validated activities.

In total, 1,341 students participated, with approximately equal distribution between White, African American, and Hispanic; and approximately 

30% Dual Language Learner. Each eligible student in each grade within a school was matched with another eligible student based upon their 

Fall benchmark score, each member of the pair was randomly assigned to a condition, and the matched pair was removed from the analytic 

sample if the treatment participant did not receive tutoring or if either member didn’t receive assessments. AmeriCorps members collected 

general outcome measure data using the AIMSweb literacy assessments. Kindergarten, first and third grade students who received MRC

tutoring achieved significantly higher literacy assessment scores than students who did not. The magnitude of MRC tutoring effects differed by 

grade, with the largest effects found among the youngest students (i.e., Kindergarten and first grade students), and the smallest effects among 

the oldest students (i.e., third grade students). Overall, the study provides strong evidence for these findings.
STATE OF THE PRACTICE NATIONAL SERVICE EDUCATION INITIATIVES

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17

Teach For America

1682 Decker, P.T., Mayer, D.P., & Glazerman, S. (2004). The effects of Teach for America on students: Findings from a national evaluation. 

Madison, WI: Institute for Research on Poverty.

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

Teach for America Teach for 

America 

Some TFA 

members receive 

AmeriCorps 

education 

awards.

Paul T. Decker, Daniel P. Mayer, Steven Glazerman

Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. 

Nationwide

This randomized controlled trial assesses the effectiveness of Teach for America (TFA) teachers on student achievement. The sample consisted of 

17 schools with 37 blocks, 100 classrooms, and nearly 1,800 students. Comparisons of outcomes of students taught by TFA teachers with 

outcomes of students taught by non- TFA, or control, teachers in the same schools and at the same grades occurred. For the analysis, “control 

teachers” included all teachers in the study who were not TFA corps members at the time of the study or at any time in the past. “TFA teachers” 

included all teachers who entered the profession through TFA —both current TFA corps members in their first two years of teaching, and 

alumni (former corps members) who were still teaching. The main source of data for this study was a set of achievement tests we administered 

in the fall (pre-test) and the spring (post-test) of the study year (2002-2003), including an abbreviated form of the mathematics and reading 

subtests of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS).

TFA teachers had a positive impact on math achievement and no impact on reading achievement. The size of the impact on math scores was 

about 15 percent of a standard deviation, equivalent to about one month of instruction. No impacts on other student outcomes such as 

attendance, promotion, or disciplinary incidents were identified, but TFA teachers were more likely to report problems with student behavior 

than were their peers. Overall, the study provides strong evidence for these findings.
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18

170 Antecol, H., Eren, O., & Ozbeklik, S. (2013). The effect of Teach for America on the distribution of student achievement in 

primary school: Evidence from a randomized experiment. Economics of Education Review, 37, 113-125.

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

Teach for America 

(TFA)

Teach for 

America

Some TFA 

members receive 

AmeriCorps 

education 

awards. 

Heather Antecol of The Robert Day School of Economics 

and Finance, Claremont McKenna College and IZA

Ozkan Eren pf the Department of Economics, Louisiana 

State University

Serkan Ozbeklik of The Robert Day School of Economics 

and Finance, Claremont McKenna College

Baltimore, Chicago, 

Los Angeles, 

Houston, New 

Orleans and the 

Mississippi Delta 

This study used secondary data collected from 2001-2003 during Mathematica’s Policy Research Incorporated National Evaluation of Teach for 

America (2004). It used fixed effect quantile regression (FEQR) to examine the effects of having a TFA teacher on test scores across the entire 

achievement distribution of primary school students (N = 1710) in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The study generally found that TFA teachers 

neither help nor hurt students in terms of reading test scores. Positive and statistically significant effects of TFA across the math achievement 

distribution were found for the full sample and the effects were fairly uniform. A similar distributional effect of TFA was found within student 

gender, although the FEQR estimates for female students were two to three times larger than for male students. Evidence existed of 

heterogeneity in the effects of TFA for Hispanic and black students and for students taught by novice teachers. Finally, the effect of TFA is 

homogeneous across the math achievement distribution irrespective of certification type. Overall, this study provides further support for the 

strength of findings reported in Decker, Mayer, & Glazerman (2004).
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2270 Clark, M.A., Hanley S.C., Silva, T., McConnell, S., Sonnenfeld, K., Erbe, A., & Puma, M. (2013). The effectiveness of secondary math 

teachers from Teach For America and the Teaching Fellows programs (NCEE 2013-4015). Washington, DC: National Center for 

Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

Teach for America Teach for 

America

Some TFA 

members receive 

AmeriCorps 

education 

awards.

Melissa A. Clark , Hanley S. Chiang , Tim Silva , Sheena 

McConnell , Kathy Sonnenfeld , & Anastasia Erbe, 

Mathematica Policy Research

Michael Puma, Chesapeake Research Associates

Nationwide

This randomized controlled trial assesses the effectiveness of Teach for America secondary math teachers in improving student math 

achievement. The study examined the effectiveness of TFA teachers, comparing secondary math teachers from TFA with other secondary math 

teachers teaching the same math courses in the same schools. The TFA study sample consisted of 4,573 students, 111 classroom matches, 136 

math teachers, 45 schools, and 11 districts in 8 states.

In each participating school, evaluators identified “classroom matches”—two or more classes covering the same middle or high school math 

course at the same level, with at least one class taught by a TFA teacher and at least one class taught by another teacher, referred to as a 

comparison teacher, who did not enter teaching through a highly selective alternative route. In each classroom match, students were randomly 

assigned at the beginning of the school year to a class taught by a TFA teacher or a class taught by a comparison teacher. Student math 

achievement was measured by math assessments administered at the end of the school year in which the students were randomly assigned. For 

students in grades 6 to 8, scores were obtained on state-required assessments. For students in grades 9 to 12, we administered end-of-course 

math assessments developed by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA).

On average, students assigned to TFA teachers scored higher (by 0.07 standard deviations) on end-of-year math assessments than students 

assigned to comparison teachers. This difference in math scores was equivalent to an increase in student achievement from the 27th to the 30th 

percentile. This difference also translated into an additional 2.6 months of school for the average student nationwide. Overall, this study 

provides strong evidence for these findings.
STATE OF THE PRACTICE NATIONAL SERVICE EDUCATION INITIATIVES

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20

2269 Clark, M.A., Isenberg, E., Liu, A.Y. (2015). Impacts of the Teach For America Investing in Innovation Scale-Up. Washington, DC: 

Teach for America

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

Teach for America Teach for 

America

Some TFA 

members receive 

AmeriCorps 

education 

awards.

Melissa A. Clark, Eric Isenberg, Albert Y. Liun, Libby 

Makaowsky, & Marykate Zukiewicz

Mathematica Policy Research 

Nationwide

This randomized controlled trial assesses the effectiveness of Teach for America (TFA) teachers in improving academic outcomes, after a major 

expansion effort of the TFA program. The final sample included 10 states, 13 school districts and other TFA placement partners, 36 schools, and 

156 teachers (66 TFA and 90 comparison teachers). The sample of TFA teachers was limited to those recruited in the first two years of the scaleup, who were in their first or second year of teaching at the time of the study, whereas the comparison teachers included both novice and 

experienced teachers teaching in the same schools and grades as the TFA teachers. In total, 3,724 students were randomly assigned to classes 

and outcome test score data was obtained for 2,153 students.

In the lower elementary grades (prekindergarten through grade 2), students were assessed using reading and math assessments from the 

Woodcock-Johnson III achievement test. In the upper elementary grades (3 to 5), in which annual reading and math assessments were required 

by the federal No Child Left Behind Act, evaluators collected state assessment data from district records. Evaluators also collected prior years’ 

test scores from state assessments when available, along with other student background characteristics End-of-year test scores of students 

assigned to the TFA teachers and those assigned to the comparison teacher were compared.

On average, the TFA teachers in our sample were as effective as comparison teachers in both reading and math, including both novice and 

traditionally certified teachers. In both subjects, differences in test scores between students assigned to TFA teachers and those assigned to 

comparison teachers were not statistically significant. TFA teachers in lower elementary grades (prekindergarten through grade 2) had a 

positive, statistically significant effect on student reading achievement of 0.12 standard deviations, or about 1.3 additional months of learning 

for the average student in these grades nationwide. Overall, this study provides strong evidence for these findings.
STATE OF THE PRACTICE NATIONAL SERVICE EDUCATION INITIATIVES

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21

Post-secondary Preparation and Prospects for Success

2526 Avery, Christopher (2013). Evaluation of the College Possible Program: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial Cambridge, MA: 

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

College Possible College Possible ASN Christopher Avery

Harvard Kennedy School of Government

Minneapolis and St. 

Paul Minnesota

This randomized controlled trial assesses the effectiveness of the College Possible program in increasing students’ applications and enrollments 

to post-secondary institutions. The College Possible program provides two years of college preparatory work for high school juniors and seniors, 

including SAT and ACT test preparation services, college admission and financial aid consulting, and guidance in the transition to college. The 

study included 239 students from eight high schools.

Students applied to participate in the program in their sophomore year. Since the program had only 800 places and 900 qualified applicants, the 

last 101 were admitted to the program on a randomized group-by-group basis designed to admit a predetermined number from each high 

school. The remaining students were placed on a wait list, and 33 were admitted from this waitlist in a separate randomization procedure to fill 

new spots. There were slight differences between the first and second treatment groups in terms of household income and program 

participation. The majority of the overall sample was female (60%) and Hmong (60%). College Possible attendees were not significantly more 

likely to enroll in college, but were 15% more likely to enroll in 4-year colleges than control group members. Overall, this study provides strong 

evidence for these findings. 
STATE OF THE PRACTICE NATIONAL SERVICE EDUCATION INITIATIVES

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22

2442 Evaluation and Assessment Solutions for Education, LLC (2013). National College Advising Corps 2011-2012 Evaluation Report. 

Module 1: The NCAC Difference. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Intervention name Operating 

program/

organization 

name

Relationship to 

national 

service/CNCS 

Evaluator or evaluating organization name Location(s) of the 

study

National College 

Advising Corps 

National College 

Advising Corps

SIF & ASN Eric Bettinger, Antonio L. Antonio, Brent Evans, Jesse 

Foster, Brian Holzman, Hoori Satikian, Stanford 

University

Eileen Homg, EASE – Evaluation and Assessment 

Solutions for Education 

Nationwide

This quasi-experimental study examines the differences between post-secondary preparation in students who visited National College Advising 

Corps (NCAC) advisers and students who did not, according to a self-reported survey. Of 72,883 students nationwide were invited to participate 

in the survey these, 30,546 (42 percent) responded. These responses represent 168 schools across nine states and 13 partner institutions. Slightly 

more than half of the respondents were female, and 76% were first-generation college goers. Overall, 72% of the sample came from an 

underrepresented minority group (i.e., Black, Hispanic, Other, or Multicultural), including 38% identifying as Hispanic. The survey primarily 

targeted seniors who were making college decisions. Students were surveyed in April and May of 2012. The survey asked students about their 

college plans, to reflect on their academic preparation throughout high school, and about what college-going information they received and 

from whom they received it.

Results indicate seniors who have compared to those who have not met with the NCAC adviser at their school, students who have met with the 

NCAC adviser were: 22% more likely to aspire to attend college early in their education careers; 107% more likely to take 3 or more ACT/SAT 

prep courses; 198% more likely to attend financial aid workshops; 54% more likely to visit colleges 3 or more times; 40% more likely to take the 

ACT/SAT; 62% more likely to submit the FAFSA; 99% more likely to use a fee waiver for college applications; 42% more likely to apply to a 

college/university; 73% more likely to apply to a 4-year institution of higher education; 67% more likely to be accepted to a college/university; 

84% more likely to be accepted to a 4-year institution of higher education; and 31% more likely to be committed to attending college in the fall 

(as indicated by having submitted a deposit to a college/university). There were greater effects for first-generation college students who met 

with an NCAC advisor than others. Since this study used non-equivalent comparisons, causality cannot be determined, as student 

characteristics likely contributed to differences in outcomes. Overall, this study provides preliminary evidence for these findings.