Teachers' mathematics knowledge for teaching and school context: A study of California teachers

This article examines the relationship between the mathematical knowledge of 438 K-8 California teachers and the demographics of the schools in which they work. To measure mathematical knowledge, we used a series of multiple-choice problems meant to represent both the content teachers teach and the specialized knowledge of mathematics that teachers might possess. Teachers in schools with higher proportions of low-SES and Hispanic students performed more poorly on these measures than did teachers from other schools. Implications for policy and for further research are discussed.