Teach For America

Teach For America
Name	Teach For America
Formation	1990
Founder	Wendy Kopp
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	New York City
Region served	United States
Leader title	CEO

Teach For America is a nonprofit recruitment and placement organization that enlists recent college graduates and professionals to teach in low-income urban and rural schools across the United States. It operates as a national corps program that places members in school districts and charter networks, partnering with local school districts, U.S. Department of Education, and philanthropic organizations to address disparities in academic opportunity. The organization has drawn attention from policymakers, philanthropists, and educators including connections to Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, John Legend, and debates involving figures like Michelle Rhee and Arne Duncan.

History

Founded in 1990 by Wendy Kopp following a Princeton senior thesis proposal, the organization launched a corps model inspired by national service programs such as the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps. Early expansion included partnerships with the U.S. Department of Education and pilot placements in cities like New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Over subsequent decades, growth coincided with increased philanthropic support from donors including the Gates Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, and investments from individuals such as Steve Ballmer and Laurene Powell Jobs. The program's trajectory intersected with education reform movements associated with No Child Left Behind Act, Race to the Top, and the rise of charter schools and urban school reformers such as Pedro Noguera and Diane Ravitch.

Mission and Model

The stated mission emphasizes expanding educational opportunity and leadership pipelines to serve students in under-resourced communities, linking corps recruitment to long-term leadership in sectors like public policy, education policy, and nonprofit management. The two-year placement model requires corps members to commit to teaching residencies while receiving certification via alternative routes that may intersect with state certification systems such as those in California, Texas, and New York (state). The model positions alumni to pursue roles in school districts, charter networks like KIPP, education advocacy organizations such as Stand for Children, or elected office alongside figures from Americans for Prosperity and civil rights organizations like the NAACP.

Recruitment and Training

Recruitment targets graduates from selective institutions including Harvard University, Princeton University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, UC Berkeley, and liberal arts colleges. The selection process involves interviews, evaluations of academic records, and assessments of leadership potential akin to recruitment by organizations such as Teach For America alumni network and corporate partners including Deloitte and McKinsey & Company. Training comprises an intensive summer institute with pedagogical coaching, classroom management workshops referencing research from John Hattie and curriculum frameworks used by districts like Boston Public Schools and networks like Uncommon Schools. Certification pathways sometimes utilize university partnerships with institutions such as Teachers College, Columbia University and state teacher preparation programs in Florida and Ohio.

Placement and Impact

Placements occur in diverse settings ranging from urban districts like Newark, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Houston, and Detroit to rural areas such as parts of Mississippi and Appalachia. Impact studies have been produced by research groups like the Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, and scholars including Thomas J. Kane and Justin Dornfeld, analyzing student outcomes, retention rates, and teacher effectiveness relative to traditional preparation routes like those from University of Michigan or UCLA. Corps members often teach in subjects with shortages such as mathematics and science, supporting goal areas championed by initiatives like the National Science Foundation and STEM advocates including Bill Nye. Longitudinal alumni impact connects to leadership in organizations like New Leaders and policy roles in administrations of presidents such as Barack Obama.

Criticism and Controversy

Critiques have come from education scholars including Diane Ravitch and Jonathan Kozol who question short-term placements and preparation depth compared with traditional teacher education programs at institutions like Stanford University or Teachers College, Columbia University. Labor disputes have involved teachers' unions such as the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, citing concerns about certification standards and impacts on collective bargaining in districts like Chicago Public Schools and Los Angeles Unified School District. Debates also touch on effectiveness studies from Mathematica Policy Research and commentary by journalists in outlets covering reform battles involving Michelle Rhee and charter expansion controversies linked to the Walton Family Foundation.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The organizational governance includes a board of directors with leaders from philanthropy, corporate sectors, and education, and executive leadership based in New York City and regional offices in metropolitan hubs such as Atlanta, Dallas, and San Francisco. Funding sources combine philanthropic grants from foundations including the Gates Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, and Ford Foundation with corporate contributions from entities like Goldman Sachs and IBM, government grants tied to federal initiatives, and individual donations from figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Mark Zuckerberg. Financial accountability is scrutinized in reports by watchdogs and analyses published by think tanks like the Urban Institute.

Notable Alumni and Programs

Alumni occupy leadership roles across sectors—education leaders like KIPP founders and executives in charter networks; policymakers and elected officials including Ayanna Pressley and public servants with ties to City Council positions and state legislatures; nonprofit leaders in organizations such as Uncommon Schools, The Education Trust, and advocacy groups like Teach Plus. Signature programs and partnerships have included collaborations with AmeriCorps, university-based residency programs at Stanford University and Teachers College, Columbia University, leadership institutes, and research partnerships with Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Brookings Institution.

Category:Nonprofit organizations based in the United States