Retrieved from the Education Policy Analysis Archives, this paper, authored by Ildiko Laczko-Kerr and Professor David Berliner of Arizona State University, offers a critical analytical examination of the academic achievements of students instructed by under-certified primary school teachers (including those participating in the Teach For America program). The study compares the performance on a common standardized test, utilizing data from the state of Arizona and comparing the classrooms of under-certified teachers with those of certified teachers. Professor Berliner and Laczko-Kerr conclude that: "Present policies allowing under-certified teachers, including those from the TFA program, to work with our most difficult to teach children appear harmful." Overall, this work will be of great interest to policy makers and practitioners alike.