One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
Teach For America
Education
Location
Nationwide
Website
Who We Are
Teach For America is building the movement to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting our nation’s most promising future leaders in the effort. We provide a critical source of well-trained teachers who are helping break the cycle of educational inequity. These teachers, called corps members, commit to teach for two years in one of 39 urban and rural regions across the country, going above and beyond traditional expectations to help their students to achieve at high levels. This school year, more than 8,200 first- and second-year corps members are working to raise the achievement and change the life trajectories of over 500,000 students in low-income communities.
Why Work Here
You will become part of a growing movement of people from all backgrounds working to improve the education and life prospects of children in low-income communities. As a corps member, you will further develop the leadership, management and critical thinking skills essential for success in any field. As you take the next steps in your career, you will have access to more than 200 graduate school and employer partnerships, plus a network of nearly 30,000 leaders working within and beyond education.
The 2010 corps includes more than 4,000 individuals who reflect a rich and diverse set of backgrounds and experiences:
- The corps represents all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Corps members graduated from more than 500 colleges and universities.
- Almost one-third of incoming corps members identify as people of color.
- 19 percent earned a graduate degree or held a full-time professional position before joining the corps.
- 20 percent are the first in their family to attend college.
- 11 percent hold a degree in math, science, or engineering and 11 percent hold a degree in business and economics.
Get Involved: Learn more about the why you should join Teach For America from students, corps members, alumni, and supporters.
Words of Support: President Obama and other supporters share words of support for Teach For America’s work.
A Corps Member’s Perspective: Max Schuette and his K5 super stars show us what they learn in the classroom and why a great education is so important.
Our Culture
Benefits
Compensation
Corps members receive a full salary plus comprehensive health and retirement benefits. Salaries range from $30,000 to $51,500, depending on the region where you teach. You will be fully employed by your school district and receive the same salaries and benefits as other beginning teachers.
Corps members in urban regions have higher salaries but higher cost-of-living; corps members in rural regions have lower salaries but also enjoy the benefits of a lower cost-of-living, which helps them save money on rent, groceries, utilities, and other living expenses.
Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Vision Care
Health benefits are provided through your school district and vary across regions and districts. Benefits may include, but are not limited to:
- Medical, dental, and vision care
- Referral-free access to doctors
- Life insurance
- Routine preventative care
- Flexible spending accounts
- Employee assistance and wellness programs
- Family planning services
- Vaccinations (i.e. flu shots)
Retirement Benefits
Full retirement benefits are also provided by your school district and usually include employer-supported pension plans and 403(b) investment accounts.
Bragging Rights
Student achievement is rising.
A growing body of research shows that in many cases, Teach For America corps members are more effective than other teachers, including certified and veteran teachers. Corps members are having a positive impact on student achievement across subject areas and grade levels, from pre-kindergarten to high school.
Teach For America corps members and alumni are leading some of the most successful efforts to close the achievement gap in communities nationwide.
In the next two decades we have the potential to dramatically increase our impact. Most of the alumni currently holding leadership roles across the country came through Teach For America in the 1990s — a decade in which we produced around 4,000 alumni which is less than the number of corps members that join Teach For America every year. Our current alumni base numbers more than 20,000 and they are working in communities across the nation as leaders to address the challenges that prevent our students from achieving at the highest levels.
