Teach For America
Encyclopedia
Teach For America is an American
non-profit organization
that aims to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting the nation's most promising future leaders to teach for two or more years in low-income communities throughout the United States
. The organization aspires for these "corps members" to gain the insight and added commitment to tackle the root causes of America's achievement gap
throughout their lives.
after she developed the idea to help eliminate educational inequality in the United States for her senior thesis at Princeton University
in 1989. Members of the founding team include value investor Whitney Tilson
, U.S. Commissioner of Internal Revenue Douglas Shulman and KIPP
President and CEO Richard Barth. Since its beginning in 1990, more than 20,000 corps members have completed their commitment to Teach For America. The first ten years of the organization is chronicled in Kopp's book "One Day, All Children: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way"
. In January 2011, Wendy Kopp released her second book, "A Chance To Make History
", which outlines what she has learned over the last 20 years working in American education.
Applying to Teach For America has become very popular among seniors at some of America's elite colleges. In its first year, Teach For America placed 500 teachers; in 2010, the organization received more than 46,000 applications resulting in 4,500 new corps members. These applicants included 20 percent of the senior class at Spelman, 12 percent of all Ivy League seniors, 7 percent of the graduating class at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and 6 percent at the University of California-Berkeley.
In February 2011, Teach For America celebrated its 20th anniversary at a summit in Washington D.C. that attracted 11,000 corps members, alumni, staff and supporters of the organization. Among those in attendance: Congressman John Lewis, feminist Gloria Steinem
, political consultant James Carville
, Presidential Advisor and Harvard Kennedy School Professor David Gergen
, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
, AFT President Randi Weingarten
, CEO of Harlem Children's Zone Geoffrey Canada
, author Malcolm Gladwell
, and singer John Legend
.
. The goal of Teach For America is for its corps members not only to make a short-term impact on their students, but also to become lifelong leaders in pursuing educational equality. Corps members do not have to be certified teachers, although certified teachers may apply.
Uncertified corps members receive alternative certification through coursework taken while completing the program. Corps members attend an intensive five-week summer institute to prepare for their commitment. Teach For America teachers are placed in schools in urban areas such as New York City
and Houston, as well as in rural places such as eastern North Carolina
and the Mississippi Delta
. They then serve for two years and are usually placed in schools with other Teach For America corps members.
Teach For America teachers are full-fledged faculty members at their schools, receiving the normal school district salary and benefits as well as a modest AmeriCorps
"education voucher" (which can be used to pay for credentialing courses, cover previous student loans or fund further education after the two-year commitment).
Since the founding of the organization, several independent studies have been conducted to gauge the effectiveness of Teach For America corps members relative to teachers who entered the teaching profession via other channels. Recent teacher pathway studies in three states — Louisiana, North Carolina, and Tennessee — suggest that Teach For America corps members have a greater impact on student achievement than new teachers from more traditional certification programs. Additionally, Teach For America won the largest grant out of nearly 1,700 applications to the U.S. Department of Education’s Investing in Innovation (i3) grant competition in 2010. The i3 scale-up grants required applicants to provide demonstrated evidence of success through objective, methodologically sound studies (e.g., experimental and quasi-experimental research designs) of student achievement.
In a study published by the Urban Institute
and the Calder Center in March 2008, and forthcoming in the Journal of Public Policy and Management, the authors found "TFA teachers tend to have a positive effect on high school student test scores relative to non-TFA teachers, including those who are certified in-field. Such effects exceed the impact of additional years of experience and are particularly strong in math and science."
Mathematica Policy Research also addressed this question in a study published in June 2004 using random assignment of students to teachers. The study compared the gains in reading and math achievement made by students randomly assigned to Teach For America teachers or other teachers in the same school. The results showed that, on average, students with Teach For America teachers raised their mathematics test scores 0.15 standard deviations more than the gains made by other students. This is equivalent to students having received one extra month of instruction. In reading, students with Teach For America teachers performed similarly to students with other teachers.
According to an independent study by Policy Studies Associates, in 2009, 94 percent of principals who work with Teach For America teachers contend that Teach For America corps members make a significant and positive impact in their classrooms. 91% of principals expressed that Teach For America teachers are as well-prepared to teach as other beginning teachers. 63% believed that Teach For America's training is "better than average."
charter schools and other schools founded by Teach For America alumni. Still others train for administrative positions, and Teach For America now reports that 67% of its alumni are working or studying in education.
article, Teach For America has been criticized by opponents who claim that the program replaces experienced teachers with brand-new employees brought in at beginners' salary levels. John Wilson, executive director of the National Education Association
, sent a memo in May 2009 stating that union leaders were "beginning to see school systems lay off teachers and then hire Teach For America college grads due to a contract they signed." Wilson went on to say that Teach For America brings in "the least-prepared and the least-experienced teachers" into low-income schools and makes them "the teacher of record."
In the same USA Today article it was reported that in March 2009, Peter Gorman, the superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina schools told board members that because of a commitment made to the program, 100 Teach For America teachers would be retained in spite of the fact that hundreds of other non-Teach For America teachers in the district would be laid off. However, Teach For America spokeswoman Kerci Marcello Stroud says it would be a mistaken notion to say that Teach For America corps members are displacing experienced teachers. "In every region where we send teachers, we're just one source," she says. "Once they land, corps members must interview for jobs just like everyone else."
Critics of Teach For America have also cited the results of Mathematica Policy Research's 2004 study as an indication of Teach For America’s lack of efficacy (see Educational Impact). These critics claim that while the study shows that students taught by Teach For America teachers perform better in mathematics
than those taught by non-Teach For America teachers, the improvement is very small, and that furthermore there is no difference in reading performance between the two groups.
A 2010 article published by Campus Progress suggested that "TFA’s breakneck training course leaves TFA teachers—or 'corps members,' as they’re called—with insufficient classroom experience, before throwing them headfirst into some of the most disadvantaged school districts in the country."
In a 2009 editorial for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Deborah Appleman, a professor of Educational Studies at Carleton College
, wrote "Implicit in Teach for America's approach is the insidious assumption that anyone who knows a subject and is willing to be with kids can teach -- with little training." She also challenged TFA's "elitist" structure. "The story of TFA becomes a kind of master narrative, a story of heroic and altruistic young people that focuses much more squarely on them than it does on the lives of the children they are committed to serve. There is an elitist overtone to the structure of TFA, a belief that the best and the brightest can make a difference in the lives of children who are less fortunate, even when they are not professionally prepared to do so."
begins before kindergarten. Teach For America started the ECE program with 20 ECE corps members in the D.C.
Region. As of today, nearly 300 corps members are focusing on ECE in 22 regions.
So far, the ECE program has placed over 1,100 teachers in schools and community organizations across 22 regions.
It has also emphasized the importance of cultivating the different social, emotional and physical developments of children by developing several different methods of instruction to accommodate all types of students.
, specifically those in low income areas with more Math and Science
teachers. In the 2009-2010 school year, according to the statistics provided by Teach For America, nearly 2,400 corps members are teaching Math and Science
to 150,000 students. This initiative recruits graduating college seniors, graduate students, and professionals with math, science and engineering expertise, and provides Teach For America Math and science
teachers with training and support.
adopted TFA as its national philanthropy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
that aims to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting the nation's most promising future leaders to teach for two or more years in low-income communities throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The organization aspires for these "corps members" to gain the insight and added commitment to tackle the root causes of America's achievement gap
Achievement gap
Achievement gap refers to the observed disparity on a number of educational measures between the performance of groups of students, especially groups defined by gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The achievement gap can be observed on a variety of measures, including standardized...
throughout their lives.
History
The organization was founded by Wendy KoppWendy Kopp
Wendy Sue Kopp is the CEO and Founder of Teach For America , the national teaching corps and the CEO of Teach For All.-Background:...
after she developed the idea to help eliminate educational inequality in the United States for her senior thesis at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1989. Members of the founding team include value investor Whitney Tilson
Whitney Tilson
Whitney Tilson is an author, investor and businessman who also writes for financial publications.Tilson is a disciple of the Graham-Dodd -Buffett-Munger school of value investing, and was one of the authors of Poor Charlie's Almanack , considered by many to be the definitive book on Charlie...
, U.S. Commissioner of Internal Revenue Douglas Shulman and KIPP
Kipp
-People:*Annika Kipp , German radio and television presenter*George Washington Kipp , U.S. politician*Karl-Heinz Kipp , German entrepreneur*Kipp Lennon , American musician*Lyman Kipp , U.S...
President and CEO Richard Barth. Since its beginning in 1990, more than 20,000 corps members have completed their commitment to Teach For America. The first ten years of the organization is chronicled in Kopp's book "One Day, All Children: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way"
One Day, All Children
One Day, All Children...The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way is the first book by Wendy Kopp, CEO and Founder of Teach For America, published by PublicAffairs in April 2003, a decade after the launch of Teach For America...
. In January 2011, Wendy Kopp released her second book, "A Chance To Make History
A Chance to Make History
A Chance to Make History: What Works and What Doesn't in Providing an Excellent Education for All is a book by Wendy Kopp, CEO and Founder of Teach For America, that was published by PublicAffairs in January 2011 ....
", which outlines what she has learned over the last 20 years working in American education.
Applying to Teach For America has become very popular among seniors at some of America's elite colleges. In its first year, Teach For America placed 500 teachers; in 2010, the organization received more than 46,000 applications resulting in 4,500 new corps members. These applicants included 20 percent of the senior class at Spelman, 12 percent of all Ivy League seniors, 7 percent of the graduating class at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and 6 percent at the University of California-Berkeley.
In February 2011, Teach For America celebrated its 20th anniversary at a summit in Washington D.C. that attracted 11,000 corps members, alumni, staff and supporters of the organization. Among those in attendance: Congressman John Lewis, feminist Gloria Steinem
Gloria Steinem
Gloria Marie Steinem is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader of, and media spokeswoman for, the women's liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s...
, political consultant James Carville
James Carville
Chester James Carville, Jr. is an American political consultant, commentator, educator, actor, attorney, media personality, and prominent liberal pundit. Carville gained national attention for his work as the lead strategist of the successful presidential campaign of then-Arkansas governor Bill...
, Presidential Advisor and Harvard Kennedy School Professor David Gergen
David Gergen
David Richmond Gergen is an American political consultant and former presidential advisor who served during the administrations of Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton. He is currently Director of the Center for Public Leadership and a professor of public service at Harvard Kennedy School. Gergen is...
, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
Arne Duncan
Arne Duncan is an American education administrator and currently United States Secretary of Education. Duncan previously served as CEO of the Chicago Public Schools.-Early years and personal:...
, AFT President Randi Weingarten
Randi Weingarten
'Randi Weingarten is an American labor leader, attorney, and educator, the current president of the American Federation of Teachers , a member of the AFL-CIO, and former president of the United Federation of Teachers. New York magazine called her one of the most influential people in education in...
, CEO of Harlem Children's Zone Geoffrey Canada
Geoffrey Canada
Geoffrey Canada is an African American social activist and educator. Since 1990, Canada has been president and CEO of the Harlem Children's Zone in Harlem, New York, an organization which states its goal is to increase high school and college graduation rates among students in Harlem...
, author Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell, CM is a Canadian journalist, bestselling author, and speaker. He is currently based in New York City and has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996...
, and singer John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
.
Function
Teach For America recruits recent college graduates and professionals to teach for two years in urban and rural communities throughout the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The goal of Teach For America is for its corps members not only to make a short-term impact on their students, but also to become lifelong leaders in pursuing educational equality. Corps members do not have to be certified teachers, although certified teachers may apply.
Uncertified corps members receive alternative certification through coursework taken while completing the program. Corps members attend an intensive five-week summer institute to prepare for their commitment. Teach For America teachers are placed in schools in urban areas such as New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Houston, as well as in rural places such as eastern North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and the Mississippi Delta
Mississippi Delta
The Mississippi Delta is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers. The region has been called "The Most Southern Place on Earth" because of its unique racial, cultural, and economic history...
. They then serve for two years and are usually placed in schools with other Teach For America corps members.
Teach For America teachers are full-fledged faculty members at their schools, receiving the normal school district salary and benefits as well as a modest AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is a U.S. federal government program that was created under President Bill Clinton by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 and later expanded by 50 percent under President George W. Bush...
"education voucher" (which can be used to pay for credentialing courses, cover previous student loans or fund further education after the two-year commitment).
Educational impact
In a study published by the Urban Institute
Urban Institute
The Urban Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that carries out nonpartisan economic and social policy research, collects data, evaluates social programs, educates the public on key domestic issues, and provides advice and technical assistance to developing governments abroad...
and the Calder Center in March 2008, and forthcoming in the Journal of Public Policy and Management, the authors found "TFA teachers tend to have a positive effect on high school student test scores relative to non-TFA teachers, including those who are certified in-field. Such effects exceed the impact of additional years of experience and are particularly strong in math and science."
Mathematica Policy Research also addressed this question in a study published in June 2004 using random assignment of students to teachers. The study compared the gains in reading and math achievement made by students randomly assigned to Teach For America teachers or other teachers in the same school. The results showed that, on average, students with Teach For America teachers raised their mathematics test scores 0.15 standard deviations more than the gains made by other students. This is equivalent to students having received one extra month of instruction. In reading, students with Teach For America teachers performed similarly to students with other teachers.
According to an independent study by Policy Studies Associates, in 2009, 94 percent of principals who work with Teach For America teachers contend that Teach For America corps members make a significant and positive impact in their classrooms. 91% of principals expressed that Teach For America teachers are as well-prepared to teach as other beginning teachers. 63% believed that Teach For America's training is "better than average."
Retention
Teach For America reports that nearly half of their alumni teach at their placement schools for a third year. Many others go on to teach elsewhere, especially at KIPPKipp
-People:*Annika Kipp , German radio and television presenter*George Washington Kipp , U.S. politician*Karl-Heinz Kipp , German entrepreneur*Kipp Lennon , American musician*Lyman Kipp , U.S...
charter schools and other schools founded by Teach For America alumni. Still others train for administrative positions, and Teach For America now reports that 67% of its alumni are working or studying in education.
Geographical reach
Teach For America's geographical impact has also grown. Originally serving only 6 regions, Teach For America will be active in 43 regions in the 2011-12 school year:- AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
- Appalachia
- Atlanta
- BaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
- Bay Area
- CharlotteCHARLOTTE- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
- ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
- ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
- Detroit
- Eastern North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
- Greater Boston
- Greater New Orleans
- Greater Philadelphia-Camden
- Hawai'i
- Houston
- IndianapolisIndianapolisIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
- Jacksonville
- Kansas CityKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
- Las Vegas Valley
- Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
- MemphisMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
- Miami-Dade
- Milwaukee
- Mississippi DeltaMississippi DeltaThe Mississippi Delta is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers. The region has been called "The Most Southern Place on Earth" because of its unique racial, cultural, and economic history...
- Nashville
- New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
- New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
- NewarkNewark, New JerseyNewark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
- OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
- PhoenixPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
- Rhode IslandRhode IslandThe state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
- Rio Grande ValleyRio Grande ValleyThe Rio Grande Valley or the Lower Rio Grande Valley, informally called The Valley, is an area located in the southernmost tip of South Texas...
- St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
- San AntonioSan Antonio, TexasSan Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
- Seattle-Tacoma
- South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
- South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
- South LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
- Twin Cities
- Washington D.C.
Criticism
According to a 2009 USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
article, Teach For America has been criticized by opponents who claim that the program replaces experienced teachers with brand-new employees brought in at beginners' salary levels. John Wilson, executive director of the National Education Association
National Education Association
The National Education Association is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States, representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become...
, sent a memo in May 2009 stating that union leaders were "beginning to see school systems lay off teachers and then hire Teach For America college grads due to a contract they signed." Wilson went on to say that Teach For America brings in "the least-prepared and the least-experienced teachers" into low-income schools and makes them "the teacher of record."
In the same USA Today article it was reported that in March 2009, Peter Gorman, the superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina schools told board members that because of a commitment made to the program, 100 Teach For America teachers would be retained in spite of the fact that hundreds of other non-Teach For America teachers in the district would be laid off. However, Teach For America spokeswoman Kerci Marcello Stroud says it would be a mistaken notion to say that Teach For America corps members are displacing experienced teachers. "In every region where we send teachers, we're just one source," she says. "Once they land, corps members must interview for jobs just like everyone else."
Critics of Teach For America have also cited the results of Mathematica Policy Research's 2004 study as an indication of Teach For America’s lack of efficacy (see Educational Impact). These critics claim that while the study shows that students taught by Teach For America teachers perform better in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
than those taught by non-Teach For America teachers, the improvement is very small, and that furthermore there is no difference in reading performance between the two groups.
A 2010 article published by Campus Progress suggested that "TFA’s breakneck training course leaves TFA teachers—or 'corps members,' as they’re called—with insufficient classroom experience, before throwing them headfirst into some of the most disadvantaged school districts in the country."
In a 2009 editorial for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Deborah Appleman, a professor of Educational Studies at Carleton College
Carleton College
Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S...
, wrote "Implicit in Teach for America's approach is the insidious assumption that anyone who knows a subject and is willing to be with kids can teach -- with little training." She also challenged TFA's "elitist" structure. "The story of TFA becomes a kind of master narrative, a story of heroic and altruistic young people that focuses much more squarely on them than it does on the lives of the children they are committed to serve. There is an elitist overtone to the structure of TFA, a belief that the best and the brightest can make a difference in the lives of children who are less fortunate, even when they are not professionally prepared to do so."
Alumni
Notable Teach For America alumni include:- Cami Anderson (Los Angeles '93), Newark Public Schools Superintendent
- Chris Barbic (Houston '92), Founder of YES Prep Public SchoolsYES Prep Public SchoolsYES Prep Public Schools is a network of public, open-enrollment charter schools located throughout Greater Houston. The YES network has its headquarters in Greater Sharpstown, Houston. The YES program is a university-preparatory program for grades 6-12....
and Superintendent of Tennessee's Achievement School District. - Courtney English (Metro Atlanta '07), Atlanta Public School Board Member and Youngest in APS History and only one to hold the position while teaching full-time
- Mike Feinberg (Houston '92), KIPP Co-founder
- Bill FergusonBill Ferguson (politician)William C. "Bill" Ferguson IV is a Democratic member of the Maryland Senate, representing the 46th district since 2011. The district is composed of parts of Baltimore City....
(Baltimore '05), Maryland state senator - Smokey FontaineSmokey FontaineSmokey D. Fontaine is an American writer, music critic and editor. he is editor-in-chief of Giant magazine. Sincs 2007, he also has been Chief Content Officer of Interactive One, a digital network.-Life:...
(Baltimore '93), An American writer, music critic and editor - Kaya Henderson (New York City '92), Chancellor of District of Columbia Public SchoolsDistrict of Columbia Public SchoolsDistrict of Columbia Public Schools is the traditional public school system of Washington, D.C. in the United States.- Composition and enrollment :...
- Peter HermannPeter HermannPeter Hermann is a German-American actor and writer. He is married to actress Mariska Hargitay, with whom he has three children.-Career:Hermann had brief stints on a variety of television shows that include the soap opera, Guiding Light , the ABC Family show, Beautiful People and the Lifetime...
(New York '90), An American actor and writer - Kevin Huffman (Houston '92), Tennessee State Education Commissioner
- Mike JohnstonMichael Johnston (Colorado legislator)Michael Johnston is a legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. Johnston, a high school principal, was appointed to the Colorado State Senate in May 2009 to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Senate President Peter Groff.-Biography:...
(Mississippi Delta '97), Colorado state senator - Jason KamrasJason KamrasJason Kamras was selected as the 2005 National Teacher of the Year. He is the Chief of the Office of Human Capital and former director of human capital strategy for teachers in D.C. Public Schools, and was an adviser on education policy to the Barack Obama presidential campaign...
(Washington, D.C. '96), 2005 National Teacher of the Year - Dave Levin (Houston '92), KIPPKipp-People:*Annika Kipp , German radio and television presenter*George Washington Kipp , U.S. politician*Karl-Heinz Kipp , German entrepreneur*Kipp Lennon , American musician*Lyman Kipp , U.S...
Co-founder - Tim MorehouseTim MorehouseTim Morehouse is an United States fencer who won a Silver Medal competing in the men's sabre as a member of the United States fencing team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Morehouse is coached by Yury Gelman....
(New York '00), Silver Medal winner in the men's sabreSabreThe sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
as a member of the United States fencing teamFencing at the 2008 Summer OlympicsFencing competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 9 to August 17 at the Olympic Green Convention Center.-Medal table:-Men's events:-Women's events:- Events :10 sets of medals were awarded in the following events:...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events... - Michelle RheeMichelle RheeMichelle A. Rhee is a public figure involved in the American education system. She was chancellor of the Washington, D.C. public schools from 2007 to 2010...
(Baltimore '92), Former Chancellor of the District of Columbia Public SchoolsDistrict of Columbia Public SchoolsDistrict of Columbia Public Schools is the traditional public school system of Washington, D.C. in the United States.- Composition and enrollment :...
system and founder of The New Teacher ProjectThe New Teacher ProjectThe New Teacher Project works to ensure that poor and minority students get equal access to effective teachers. It helps urban school districts and states recruit and train new teachers, staff challenged schools, design evaluation systems, and retain teachers who have demonstrated the ability to...
; Founder, StudentsFirstStudentsFirst- External links :* , Big Rapids Daily Press, May 23, 2011.... - Alec RossAlec Ross (innovator)Alec Ross is Senior Advisor for Innovation to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a role created for him that blends technology with diplomacy...
(Baltimore '94), Senior Adviser for Innovation for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - Tom Stritikus (Baltimore '93), University of WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
College of Education Dean - Zeke Vanderhoek (New York City '98), Founder and Chairman, Manhattan GMAT; Founder and Principal, The Equity ProjectThe Equity ProjectThe Equity Project is a New York charter school, that opened in September 2009. The school will instruct students in fifth through eighth grades, and will pay its teachers a starting salary of $125,000 per year, more than double the national average. However, they must also work double the hours a...
- John WhiteJohn White-Musicians:* John White , English musician* John White , American country music singer, writer on the genre of western music* John Simon White , American vocal coach and opera director-Politicians:...
(Greater Newark '99), Louisiana Recovery School District Superintendent - Steve Zimmer (Los Angeles '92), Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member
Organizational Growth
Teach For America has witnessed sustained growth over the course of the past two decades. The chart below reflects this growth by highlighting the changes in various performance indicators.| Year | # of Applicants |
# of Incoming Corps Members |
# of Regions |
Operating Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 15,708 | 1,646 | 20 | $29.8M |
| 2004 | 13,378 | 1,626 | 22 | $34.0M |
| 2005 | 17,348 | 2,181 | 22 | $38.4M |
| 2006 | 18,968 | 2,464 | 25 | $55.6M |
| 2007 | 18,172 | 2,895 | 26 | $77.9M |
| 2008 | 24,718 | 3,614 | 29 | $122.3M |
| 2009 | 35,178 | 4,065 | 35 | $153.4M |
| 2010 | 46,359 | 4,493 | 40 | $176.0M |
| 2011 | 48,000 | 5,200 | 43 |
Acceptance Rate
In 2010, 46,366 candidates applied and 5,827 were initially admitted, making the acceptance rate 12.6%. However, that number does not include those who earned eventual acceptance into the program from the waitlist of 932 candidates. If all on the waitlist were given acceptance, the acceptance rate would be 14.6%. Since some but not all were accepted from the waitlist, the exact 2010 acceptance rate is unknown, but it ranges from 12.6-14.6%.Special Initiatives
Teach For America launched three special initiatives to help address urgent priorities within the education system.Early Childhood Education Initiative
In 2006, Teach For America created the early childhood education initiative because research has shown that the achievement gapAchievement gap
Achievement gap refers to the observed disparity on a number of educational measures between the performance of groups of students, especially groups defined by gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The achievement gap can be observed on a variety of measures, including standardized...
begins before kindergarten. Teach For America started the ECE program with 20 ECE corps members in the D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Region. As of today, nearly 300 corps members are focusing on ECE in 22 regions.
So far, the ECE program has placed over 1,100 teachers in schools and community organizations across 22 regions.
It has also emphasized the importance of cultivating the different social, emotional and physical developments of children by developing several different methods of instruction to accommodate all types of students.
Math and Science Initiative
The Math and Science Initiative was developed in 2004 to provide students across the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, specifically those in low income areas with more Math and Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
teachers. In the 2009-2010 school year, according to the statistics provided by Teach For America, nearly 2,400 corps members are teaching Math and Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
to 150,000 students. This initiative recruits graduating college seniors, graduate students, and professionals with math, science and engineering expertise, and provides Teach For America Math and science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
teachers with training and support.
The Native Achievement Initiative
Launched in 2010, the Native Achievement Initiative was created to directly impact and address the educational inequity that affects Native children in the United States. The goal of this initiative is to expand educational opportunity in schools serving predominantly Native American and Native Hawaiian students by providing 1,500 Teach For America corps members to Native community schools by 2015.Similar programs
- Alliance for Catholic Education - The Alliance for Catholic Education was founded by Father Timothy Scully, Ph.D., CSC and Sean McGraw (who has since become Ph.D. and CSC himself) in 1994 at the University of Notre Dame. The program places young men and women in Catholic schools around the country. Those who serve in ACE earn an M.Ed. from the University of Notre Dame while serving the Catholic communities.
- Teach For All - Teach For All was founded in September 2007 by Wendy Kopp, Teach For America's CEO and Founder and Brett Wigdortz, Teach First's CEO and Founder. Its goal is to replicate the Teach For America model internationally by supporting local entrepreneurs who wish to start independent, locally-governed organizations.
- DC Teaching Fellows - DC Teaching Fellows is an alternative certification program designed to address the teacher shortage in DC Public Schools
- Phoenix Teaching Fellows - The Phoenix Teaching Fellows is a highly-selective program designed to recruit and train socially-driven individuals who want to give back to the community by becoming teachers in high-need elementary and K-8 public schools in Murphy Elementary School District and Phoenix Elementary School District. Fellows benefit from an accelerated route into teaching, earning a Master’s degree and certification while teaching full time.
- Teach Kentucky - Teach Kentucky recruits select grads to teach in Kentucky public schools - participants receive full salary, benefits, credentialing, and subsidized masters degree. A program founded by Yale alumni concentrated in greater Louisville area with great peer and community support.
- NYC Teaching Fellows - A program that recruits, selects, and trains mid-career professionals and recent college graduates from all majors and backgrounds to become teachers in NYC public schools. It is responsible for up to 1/3 of the teaching staff in the city. While teaching, Fellows earn full salary, benefits, and a subsidized Master's Degree in education.
- Mississippi Teacher CorpsMississippi Teacher CorpsThe Mississippi Teacher Corps is a two-year teaching program that recruits college graduates to teach in "critical-need areas" of Mississippi...
- A two-year teaching program based in the Mississippi Delta. The Teacher Corps selects about 10% of all applicants. Participants receive teacher certification and a full scholarship for an MA in Education. - Teach FirstTeach FirstTeach First is an independent educational charity United Kingdom, Reg. No. 1098294, founded in 2002. Its mission is to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields...
- An affiliate of Teach For All, Teach First is a UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
program based on Teach For America. It places graduate students in inner city teaching positions. The scheme also gives participants the opportunity to gain a management and business qualification, through the form of a 'mini' MBA at Tanaka Business SchoolTanaka Business SchoolImperial College Business School is a constituent faculty of Imperial College London located on its South Kensington campus in West London.Its high-tech building was designed by Foster and Partners and Buro Happold...
. Teach First is now the largest trainer of teachers in the United Kingdom. - Teach First DeutschlandTeach First DeutschlandTeach First Deutschland is a German non-profit organization started in 2008 and adapted from Teach For America and Teach First. It recruits exceptional graduates from across all subject areas and places them for two years in challenging German schools....
- An affiliate of Teach For All, Teach First Deutschland is a GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
program started in 2009 and based on Teach For America and Teach First. It places graduate students in challenging German schools. - Noored KooliNoored KooliNoored Kooli is a solution to address the critical teacher shortage in Estonia, drawing inspiration from a similar scheme, Teach First, in the United Kingdom...
- An affiliate of Teach For All, Noored Kooli is an Estonian program started in 2007 and based on Teach For America and Teach First. It places graduate students in teaching positions in Estonian Schools. - Iespējamā Misija (Mission Possible) - An affiliate of Teach For All, Iespējamā Misija is a LatviaLatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n program started in 2008 and based on Teach For America and Teach First. It places graduate students in teaching positions in Latvian Schools. - Teach & Inspire - Backed by a Transition to Teaching grant from the U.S. Department of Education, ABCTEAmerican Board for Certification of Teacher ExcellenceThe American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence is a non-partisan, non-profit organization, founded in 2001 via a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, dedicated to recruiting, preparing, certifying and supporting teachers...
's Teach & Inspire Scholarship Program recruits, certifies, and supports highly effective new teachers of diverse cultural and professional backgrounds for high-need schools and subject areas. Participants are awarded a scholarship to earn certification through ABCTE's program and are eligible for a $1000 stipend. Participants must commit to teach in a high-need school and subject for three years. - Teach for Australia - launched in April 2009 and based on Teach for America.
- Teach For ChinaTeach For ChinaTeach For China is an international non-profit organization that seeks to eliminate educational inequity in China by enlisting promising future leaders from China and the United States in the effort. In the short term, the organization aspires for its Fellows to improve their student's...
- A Teach For All affiliate, Teach For China pairs US and Chinese teachers in under-resourced schools in rural China. Launched in 2008, has largely expanded capacity since. - Teach For India
- Enseña Chile
- http://www.ensenaperu.org/ Teach For All's Peruvian subsidiary/affiliate
- Alain Locke Initiative- Similar teaching program in Chicago,Illinois. Recruits recent college graduates, career changers, and those looking to serve in faith-based environments. They also offer leadership programs in education. Participants take classes at Northwestern University.
- The New Teacher ProjectThe New Teacher ProjectThe New Teacher Project works to ensure that poor and minority students get equal access to effective teachers. It helps urban school districts and states recruit and train new teachers, staff challenged schools, design evaluation systems, and retain teachers who have demonstrated the ability to...
- New Leaders for New SchoolsNew Leaders for New SchoolsNew Leaders is an American non-profit organization that aims to recruit and train school leaders who focus on improving education results for poor and minority students. It also aims to promote system-level policies and practices that provide support to these leaders...
See also
- Alternative teaching certificationAlternative teaching certificationAlternative teacher certification is a process by which a person is awarded a teaching license even though that person has not completed a traditional teacher certification program. In the US, traditional teacher certification is earned through completing a bachelor's or master’s degree in...
- Peace CorpsPeace CorpsThe Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
- Alliance for Catholic Education
- JET ProgrammeJET Programmeor is a Japanese government initiative that brings college graduates—mostly native speakers of English—to Japan as Assistant Language Teachers and Sports Education Advisors in Japanese kindergartens, elementary, junior high and high schools, or as Coordinators for International Relations in...
- Response-AbilityResponse-AbilityResponse-Ability is a non-profit volunteer service program that places college graduates in inner-city Catholic schools in the US and in other international sites across the United States...
- Teach For IndiaTeach For IndiaTeach For India is a nationwide movement that aims to bridge the educational gap in India by placing outstanding college graduates and young professionals in low-income schools to teach full-time for 2 years...
- The New Teacher ProjectThe New Teacher ProjectThe New Teacher Project works to ensure that poor and minority students get equal access to effective teachers. It helps urban school districts and states recruit and train new teachers, staff challenged schools, design evaluation systems, and retain teachers who have demonstrated the ability to...
- Teach For UsTeach For UsTeach For Us is an American non-profit organization that works to educate the public about the challenges faced by recent college graduates and professionals who agree to teach for two years in low-income communities throughout the United States as part of the Teach For America program.-History:The...
- Teach For Australia
- Teach For Korea
Receipt of philanthropic funds
The National Honor Fraternity Phi Sigma PiPhi Sigma Pi
Phi Sigma Pi is a national coeducational honor fraternity based in the United States. The fraternity is a 501 not-for-profit organization incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania, with the purpose of fostering the ideals of scholarship, leadership and fellowship...
adopted TFA as its national philanthropy.
External links
- Teach For America
- Teach For Us :: the blog network of Teach For America teachers and alumni
- How to Get Into Teach For America
- Realizing the Promise - Center for American Progress report on alternative certification programs
- U.S. News: Teach For America Makes the Grade at Challenged Schools
- Feature video interview with Teach For America's Founder and CEO Wendy Kopp
- A study done in June 2004 by Mathematica Policy Research (pdf)
- U.S. News: What is Teach For America really like?
- Stanford Study (pdf)
- Boston Globe Editorial on Teach For America
- Miami Herald feature on Teach For America
- "Who Killed Teach For America?" - TIMETimeTime is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects....
- "Looking Past the Spin: Teach for America", Rethinking Education, Spring 2010