Statistics show that the Mississippi Teacher Corps Class of 2003 has had an amazing impact on student learning. One-fourth of the Class of 2003 taught a state-tested subject in their first year of teaching ( 2003 - 2004 ). The average increase in the passing rate of those students on the state test from the previous year ( 2002 - 2003 ) is 38%.

“That is a phenomenal increase,” said Mr. Ben Guest, the Program Coordinator for the Teacher Corps. “It is good evidence that shows the incredible impact that Teacher Corps is having on critical-shortage areas. The fact that these teachers are having this effect in their first year teaching is even more impressive.”

The three Class of 2003 teachers who taught state-tested subjects are listed below (please note that these four teachers taught all students that took the state-test at their school):

Deslin Chapman , English teacher, grade 10, Simmons High School , Hollandale , MS : Students' passing rate on the English II state-test increased 23.3%, from 43% passing to 67.0% passing.

Adam Dawson , Algebra I teacher, Raymond High School , Raymond , MS : Students passing rate on the Algebra I state-test increased 36%, from 49% passing to 85% passing.

Rayn Defour, 7 th grade Math, Lockerd Elementary, Indianola , MS : Students passing rate on the 7 th grade math state test improved 42%, from 43% passing to 85% passing.

The average increase of the percent of students passing the state test in a subject-area taught by a Mississippi Teacher Corps teacher in their first-year teaching is a 38%.

The Mississippi Teacher Corps is a two-year program that recruits recent college graduates to teach in critical-shortage areas in the Mississippi Delta, in exchange for a full scholarship for a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Mississippi. The program was founded in 1989 by Amy Gutman, a Harvard University graduate and Dr. Andy Mullins , current Special Assistant to the Chancellor of Ole Miss. Since 1989 more than 300 participants, reaching an estimated 60,000 students, have taught in critical-needs school districts as part of the Mississippi Teacher Corps

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