A recent analysis has found that Teach For Australia (TFA) partner schools are outperforming comparable schools in Year 9 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) growth.
The analysis, commissioned by Teach For Australia and conducted by education policy expert Dr Peter Goss, found that gains were recorded in both reading and numeracy, suggesting that dedicated, well-supported teachers can genuinely shift student outcomes.
Dr Goss drew on longitudinal NAPLAN data across 131 TFA partner schools and 522 schools of comparable demographic profiles, tracking results over six years. In schools where TFA involvement was deepest, students gained up to 3.7 months of learning beyond what their demographics and national trends alone would forecast.
Where sustained engagement makes the difference
The strongest gains appeared in schools with sustained TFA involvement — schools where teachers participated in the program and where TFA alumni remained teaching. The findings add to growing evidence that quality classroom teachers are hungry for professional development opportunities. Schools which invest in providing them see stronger outcomes in high-need communities.
TFA chief executive officer, Edwina Dohle, said the findings validate the organisation’s core approach.
“For the first time, we now have evidence at scale showing that schools partnering with TFA are seeing measurable improvements in student learning, and that these gains are stronger where schools have deeper, sustained engagement with Teach For Australia,” she said.
What does investing in teacher quality mean for student outcomes?
Professor Ken Purnell of CQUniversity has argued that Australia needs bold, sustained action that puts genuine trust in teachers and delivers targeted support where it is needed most.
The new TFA data supports that case.
Dr Goss said the scale and consistency of results across such a diverse set of partner schools was what stood out.
“Schools with TFA teachers improved more than average in both reading and numeracy, with greater gains among schools with more TFA teachers,” he said.
Research on professional learning models that improve teacher quality and student outcomes consistently points to the same conclusion: recruiting talented educators is not enough — schools must invest in keeping them.
Dohle said the results strengthen Teach For Australia’s confidence in the role it can play in closing Australia’s education equity gap.
“At a time when Australia is struggling to shift student outcomes and close persistent learning gaps, this research shows what is possible when we invest in great teachers and support them to build their careers in the schools and communities where they can have the greatest impact.”
For any principal asking how to move the dial on student achievement, this research points to a clear priority. Building the conditions for long-term teacher development and retention in high-need schools is among the most effective investments in teacher quality a school can make.