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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0000722885
Pear Tree Polaris Foreign Value Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Investment Objective, Heading rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective:

Investment Objective, Primary rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

Long-term growth of capital and income.

Expense, Heading rr_ExpenseHeading

Fee Table and Expenses of Foreign Value Fund

Expense, Narrative rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of Foreign Value Fund.

Operating Expenses, Caption rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Portfolio Turnover, Heading rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio Turnover rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

Foreign Value Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect Foreign Value Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, Foreign Value Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 13 percent of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 13.00%
Expense Example, Heading rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example

Expense Example, Narrative rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Foreign Value Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Foreign Value Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5 percent return each year and that Foreign Value Fund’s operating expenses remain the same as set forth in the table above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Investment Strategy, Heading rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Investment Strategy, Narrative rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal market conditions, Foreign Value Fund invests at least 80 percent of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities, warrants, and rights derivative of or convertible into common stocks, in each case issued by foreign markets issuers. Foreign Value Fund defines a foreign markets issuer to be an issuer that derives at least 50 percent of its gross revenues or profits from goods or services produced in non-U.S. markets or from sales made in non-U.S. markets. Foreign Value Fund generally will be invested in issuers in ten or more foreign countries as well as a collective investment fund that invests at least 80 percent of its net assets in similar securities issued by other foreign markets issuers. Foreign Value Fund may invest in companies of any capitalization and companies located in, or deriving significant profits or revenues from, emerging market countries.

 

Foreign Value Fund’s sub-adviser uses a three-step investment decision making process, with the objective to identify companies with the most undervalued streams of sustainable cash flow. First, it employs proprietary quantitative investment technology to evaluate data, such as cash flow and interest rates, to produce a ranking of country and industry sectors. Second, it uses traditional valuation criteria to regularly screen a database of more than 29,000 companies worldwide to identify a pool of approximately 500 or more securities with the greatest potential for undervalued streams of sustainable cash flow or assets. Third, the sub-adviser conducts rigorous fundamental research on the pool of companies identified by the first two steps of the investment process. The sub-adviser also maintains a “watch-list” of companies which may be used if the valuation of a company held in Foreign Value Fund’s portfolio falls below established limits.

 

Foreign Value Fund’s sub-adviser may utilize options. The extent of the sub-adviser’s use of options may vary over time based on the sub-adviser’s assessment of market conditions and other factors. Foreign Value Fund may also buy and sell forward foreign currency exchange contracts in connection with its investments.

 

Foreign Value Fund may invest in other derivatives (i.e., a security or instrument whose value is determined by reference to the value or the change in value of one or more securities, currencies, indices or other financial instruments) for the purpose of hedging the value of the portfolio or to establish a position in the future. Foreign Value Fund also may lend its securities. Foreign Value Fund may hold cash, or it may manage its cash by investing in cash equivalents and money market funds.

Strategy Portfolio Concentration rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration

Under normal market conditions, Foreign Value Fund invests at least 80 percent of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities, warrants, and rights derivative of or convertible into common stocks, in each case issued by foreign markets issuers. Foreign Value Fund defines a foreign markets issuer to be an issuer that derives at least 50 percent of its gross revenues or profits from goods or services produced in non-U.S. markets or from sales made in non-U.S. markets. Foreign Value Fund generally will be invested in issuers in ten or more foreign countries as well as a collective investment fund that invests at least 80 percent of its net assets in similar securities issued by other foreign markets issuers. Foreign Value Fund may invest in companies of any capitalization and companies located in, or deriving significant profits or revenues from, emerging market countries.

Risk, Heading rr_RiskHeading

Principal Investment Risks

Risk, Narrative rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

It is possible to lose money by investing in Foreign Value Fund. An investment in Foreign Value Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

Market, Industry and Specific Holdings. The share price of Foreign Value Fund may fall because of weakness in the stock markets, generally, weaknesses with respect to a particular industry in which Foreign Value Fund has significant holdings, or weaknesses associated with one or more specific companies in which Foreign Value Fund may have substantial investments.

 

Foreign, including Emerging Markets, Investing. Foreign Value Fund’s investments in foreign securities (including ADRs) may be adversely affected by political and economic conditions overseas, reduced liquidity, or decreases in foreign currency values relative to the U.S. dollar. The risks of foreign investing are heightened for securities of issuers in emerging market countries. Emerging market countries tend to have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, political systems that are less stable, are more susceptible to government interference, and less liquid and efficient trading markets than those of developed countries.

 

Value Stock Investing. A value investment style periodically comes into and falls out of favor with investors. Value stocks generally carry the risk that the market will not recognize their intrinsic value or that they are actually appropriately priced at a low level.

 

Liquidity Risk. Foreign Value Fund may not be able to sell some or all of its securities at desired prices or may be unable to sell the securities at all.

 

Active Management Risk. The sub-adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of Foreign Value Fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect.

 

Large- and Mid-Capitalization Securities. Securities issued by large- and mid-cap companies tend to be less volatile than securities issued by smaller companies. Larger companies, however, may not be able to attain the high growth rates of successful smaller companies, especially during strong economic periods, and may be unable to respond as quickly to competitive challenges.

 

Small- and Micro-Capitalization Securities. Investments in small- and micro-capitalization companies typically present greater risks than investments in larger companies and, as a result, the performance of Foreign Value Fund may be more volatile than a fund that invests only in large- and mid-cap stocks.

 

Investments in Another Collective Investment Fund. To the extent that Small Cap Fund invests in another collective investment fund, such as a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF), its investment performance would be directly related to the investment performance of the other fund. It also would bear its proportionate share of any management and other fees paid by the other fund, subjecting Small Cap Fund shareholders to some duplication of fees.

 

Non-Diversification. Foreign Value Fund is “non-diversified”, which means that it may invest a higher percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers. As a result, a decline in the value of the securities of one issuer could have a significant negative effect on Foreign Value Fund.

 

Sector. Foreign Value Fund may have significant investments in one or more specific industry sectors, subjecting it to risks greater than general market risk.

 

Securities Lending. Securities lending involves two primary risks: investment risk and borrower default risk. Investment risk is the risk that Foreign Value Fund will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that Foreign Value Fund will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

 

Derivatives. Foreign Value Fund’s investments in currency futures, options and other derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, such as counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation, and the risk that the value of the instrument may not increase or decrease as expected.

 

Please refer to “Fund Objectives, Strategies and Risks” in the Prospectus for further details.

Risk, Lose Money rr_RiskLoseMoney

It is possible to lose money by investing in Foreign Value Fund.

Risk, Nondiversified Status rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus

Non-Diversification. Foreign Value Fund is “non-diversified”, which means that it may invest a higher percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers. As a result, a decline in the value of the securities of one issuer could have a significant negative effect on Foreign Value Fund.

Risk, Not Insured Depository Institution rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution

An investment in Foreign Value Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Bar Chart and Performance Table, Heading rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Past Performance

Performance, Narrative rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Foreign Value Fund by showing changes in Foreign Value Fund’s performance over time. The tables also compare Foreign Value Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance that reflects the type of securities in which Foreign Value Fund invests. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how Foreign Value Fund will perform (before and after taxes) in the futureUpdated performance information is available at www.peartreefunds.com.

 

A Note on Performance

 

Ordinary Shares and Institutional Shares commenced operations on May 15, 1998 and December 1, 1998, respectively. R6 Shares commenced operations on February 6, 2017. Returns shown prior to a class’s commencement date are returns of Ordinary Shares that have been recalculated to reflect the gross fees and expenses of that class. Returns for Institutional Shares and R6 Shares would have been substantially similar to the returns of Ordinary Shares because each share class is invested in the same portfolio of securities, and returns would differ only to the extent that expenses of the class are different.

Performance, Information Illustrates Variability of Returns rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Foreign Value Fund by showing changes in Foreign Value Fund’s performance over time.

Performance Additional Market Index [Text] rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndex

The tables also compare Foreign Value Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance that reflects the type of securities in which Foreign Value Fund invests.

Performance Availability Website Address rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

www.peartreefunds.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance does not necessarily indicate how Foreign Value Fund will perform (before and after taxes) in the future.

Bar Chart Heading rr_BarChartHeading

Calendar Year Total Returns – Ordinary Shares The bar chart below provides performance information for Foreign Value Fund’s Ordinary Shares.

Bar Chart, Closing rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Calendar year-to-date return of the Ordinary Shares of Foreign Value Fund as of December 31, 2016 was 4.54%.

 

Best Quarter:   Q2 2009   36.87%
Worst Quarter:   Q4 2008   (26.53)%
Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel

Calendar year-to-date return of the Ordinary Shares of Foreign Value Fund as

Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Dec. 31, 2016
Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 4.54%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Best Quarter:

Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 36.87%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Worst Quarter:

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (26.53%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended December 31, 2016

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

The after-tax returns shown are not relevant if you hold your shares in a retirement account or in another tax-deferred arrangement.

Performance Table, One Class of after Tax Shown rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown only for Ordinary Shares and after-tax returns for Institutional Shares and R6 Shares may vary.

Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher

Actual after-tax returns may differ depending on your individual circumstances.

Performance Table, Closing rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

After-Tax Returns. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant if you hold your shares in a retirement account or in another tax-deferred arrangement. After-tax returns are shown only for Ordinary Shares and after-tax returns for Institutional Shares and R6 Shares may vary. Actual after-tax returns may differ depending on your individual circumstances.

Pear Tree Polaris Foreign Value Fund | MSCI EAFE Index  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

Reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes

1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.51%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 7.02%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 1.22%
Pear Tree Polaris Foreign Value Fund | Ordinary Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.00%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.27%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.53%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.10% [1],[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.43% [1],[2]
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination

July 31, 2018

1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 146
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 473
5 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 823
10 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,812
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 (1.85%)
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (52.40%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 58.04%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 20.01%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (15.52%)
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 26.92%
Annual Return 2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 27.57%
Annual Return 2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 (5.23%)
Annual Return 2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 (0.67%)
Annual Return 2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 4.54%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.54%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 9.76%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 1.78%
Pear Tree Polaris Foreign Value Fund | Ordinary Shares | After Taxes on Distributions  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.52%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 9.68%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 1.30%
Pear Tree Polaris Foreign Value Fund | Ordinary Shares | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 3.00%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 7.92%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 1.44%
Pear Tree Polaris Foreign Value Fund | Institutional Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.00%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.27%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.28%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.22% [1],[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.06% [1],[2]
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination

July 31, 2018

1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 108
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 384
5 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 680
10 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,523
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.78%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 10.05%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.01%
Pear Tree Polaris Foreign Value Fund | R6 Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.00%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.12%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.13%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.10% [1],[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.03% [1],[2]
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination

July 31, 2018

1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 105
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 349
5 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 611
10 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,363
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.96%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 10.20%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.18%
[1] The Manager has contractually agreed until July 31, 2018 to waive such portion of the management fees that it would otherwise receive under its agreement with Pear Tree Funds for serving as investment manager to Foreign Value Fund such that the aggregate management fee that the Manager would receive during the waiver period for serving as the investment manager of Foreign Value Fund would be calculated using an annual rate of 0.90 percent of Foreign Value Fund's net assets. This fee waiver only may be terminated with the approval of the Trustees.
[2] The Manager, in its capacity as transfer agent to Pear Tree Funds, has contractually agreed until July 31, 2018 to waive such portion of the fees that it would otherwise receive for serving as transfer agent under its agreement with Pear Tree Funds such that the aggregate transfer agent fee with respect to Institutional Shares would be calculated using an annual rate of 0.04 percent of Foreign Value Fund's net assets attributable to Institutional Shares. This fee waiver only may be terminated with the approval of the Trustees. The aggregate transfer agent fee with respect to Ordinary Shares remains unchanged.