New Teacher Project

New Teacher Project
Name	The New Teacher Project
Founded	2002
Founder	Michelle Rhee
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	New York City
Area served	United States
Key people	Michelle Rhee, Jim Blew, Jon Schnur
Services	Teacher recruitment, training, evaluation, policy research

New Teacher Project

Founded in 2002 by Michelle Rhee, The New Teacher Project was a United States-based nonprofit organization focused on teacher recruitment, preparation, evaluation, and policy advocacy. The organization operated in multiple urban districts, collaborating with municipal leaders, school districts, charter networks, and philanthropic foundations to redesign teacher pipelines and performance systems. Its activities intersected with debates involving Brighton Education Trust, Teach For America, KIPP, Uncommon Schools, and municipal administrations such as Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C..

History

The organization was established after Rhee's tenure in Baltimore City Public Schools and the emergence of accountability initiatives following the No Child Left Behind Act and state-level reforms in Massachusetts and Florida. Early expansions involved partnerships in Chicago Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, and New York City Department of Education. Over time the group worked alongside mayors like Michael Bloomberg and Rahm Emanuel and engaged with school boards and unions such as the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. Its timeline includes collaborations with charter networks including KIPP and Success Academy Charter Schools, and interactions with federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education.

Mission and Programs

The organization's stated mission emphasized recruiting, developing, and retaining effective teachers to improve student outcomes, aligning with accountability frameworks like those promoted after the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorizations. Programmatic work encompassed alternative certification pipelines similar to Teach For America and performance management reforms akin to systems used in Denver Public Schools and Houston Independent School District. Professional development and leadership programs reached educators tied to networks such as Uncommon Schools, Achievement First, and district initiatives in Philadelphia and Cleveland. It also provided technical assistance to municipal administrations, state education departments, and philanthropic entities including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation.

Research and Policy Work

Research outputs included analyses of teacher effectiveness, retention, principal evaluation, and certification systems, contributing to policy conversations connected to reports from think tanks like the Brookings Institution, Urban Institute, and American Enterprise Institute. Work addressed measurement issues related to student growth percentiles and value-added models used in districts such as Newark Public Schools and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. It produced briefs and toolkits informing state credentialing authorities in California, Texas, and Florida and influenced legislative debates in state capitols including Sacramento, Austin, and Tallahassee.

Impact and Criticism

Supporters pointed to changes in hiring practices, evaluation systems, and teacher pipelines linked to improved outcomes in some charter school networks and district pilots in New York City and Washington, D.C.. Critics included teacher unions such as the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, civil rights organizations like the NAACP, and scholars affiliated with universities including Harvard University, Teachers College, Columbia University, and University of Michigan, who raised concerns about value-added measures, teacher turnover, and the impacts on school communities. Debates involved municipal leaders like Michael Bloomberg and Emanuel and intersected with national policy discourse at venues such as hearings in the United States Congress.

Funding and Organization

Funding sources combined philanthropic grants from foundations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, alongside contracts with districts like Chicago Public Schools and Los Angeles Unified School District. Governance featured boards and executives with ties to education reform networks, municipal administrations, and philanthropy, connecting to individuals associated with institutions such as Columbia University, Harvard Kennedy School, and corporate donors. Financial arrangements and contracts sometimes drew scrutiny from local media outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post.

Notable Initiatives and Partnerships

Notable initiatives included district partnerships to redesign teacher evaluation systems in New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.; support for alternative certification pathways paralleling Teach For America; and alliances with charter operators such as KIPP and Uncommon Schools. The organization collaborated with research entities like the Brookings Institution and policy groups including the Education Trust and engaged with municipal education offices in cities such as Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Houston. Cross-sector partnerships involved philanthropy, district leaders, and nonprofit operators, contributing to national convenings with stakeholders from State Education Agencies and national associations like the Council of the Great City Schools.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in New York City Category:Education reform in the United States