Linda Darling-Hammond

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Linda Darling-Hammond is the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at the Stanford University School of Education. Previously a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, Darling-Hammmond is a notable voice in the field of education for her research on the effects of teacher quality, school leadership and school reform.

Darling-Hammond entered the education field as a public school teacher, and went on to found her own pre-school center. She received her undergraduate degree from Yale University in 1973, and in 1978 earned an Ed.D. in urban education from Temple University. She then on to serve as director of the National Urban Coalition’s Excellence in Education Program.

Darling-Hammond is a well known critic of alternative certification programs such as Teach For America. In the spring of 2005, a study published by Stanford researchers, including Darling-Hammond, concluded that TFA teachers in Houston who had not completed certification programs were less effective than traditionally credentialed teachers.^[1] "Our study doesn't say you shouldn't hire Teach for America teachers," said Hammond, "Our study says everyone benefits from preparation, including Teach for America teachers — that they became more effective when they became certified."^[2] Teach For America has disputed the methodology of that study, which compared first and second year TFA teachers with more experienced teachers at other schools.