Frequently Asked Questions

  1. When do the seven Teach For America institutes begin, and how do you determine for which
    institute an applicant is considered?
  2. Why are some applicants transferred to different institute pools? Can I apply to a different institute from the one to which my region is assigned?
  3. How many staff members do you plan to hire across all seven institutes?
  4. What is the starting salary for staff members?
  5. Does Teach For America pay for my travel to and from the institute?
  6. What housing options are available for staff at institute?
  7. What do I need to do in preparation for institute?
  8. Can I be on institute staff and still apply for a full-time position with Teach For America?
  9. Can I be on institute staff if I have been accepted into the 2009 corps?
  10. How do I apply for an institute staff position?
  11. Can I apply for more than one institute position?
  12. How can I attach more than four documents to my institute application?
  13. What if I have worked on institute staff in the past?
  14. Why don’t you ask for recommendation letters?
  15. Is there a staff waitlist?
  16. Can first-year corps members apply to be CMAs?
  17. What is the timeline for the application process?
  18. I missed the school director application deadline.  Can I still apply?
  19. What if I have additional questions regarding employment at the institutes?
  20. Can I receive feedback on my interview ?
  21. I'm a Mac user and I'm having trouble applying. What can I do to circumvent the error messages I'm receiving?
When do the seven Teach For America institutes begin, and how do you determine for which institute an applicant is considered?

Staff members are generally assigned to an institute pool based on the region in which they completed or are completing their corps member commitment. For example, if you taught in Baltimore in 2004, your application would be sent to the Philadelphia institute because that is the institute the Baltimore corps is attending this year. However, if a prospective staff member is unable to work at his/her assigned institute, we are open to transferring, and this should not prevent anyone from applying.  Also, depending upon the number of applicants in each institute's pool, our corps size, and other factors, we may ask some applicants to work at an institute other than the one where they would ordinarily be assigned to work.

For operations coordinators only, since these applicants are unlikely to have been corps members, we consider applicant preferences and availability as well as institute need when determining assignment. You will be able to list your preferences and availability on the online application.

*Please note that, depending on position, staff members will need to arrive before the start of the institute and depart after the end of the institute. Generally, instructional staff members (school directors, curriculum specialists, curriculum coordinators, literacy specialists, corps member advisor coordinators and corps member advisors) need to arrive five to seven days before the start of the institute and depart two to four days after the end of the institute. Depending on the institute, school directors may be asked to arrive slightly earlier or stay later to build their school site relationships. In general, operational staff members (operations directors, school operations managers, operations coordinators, directors of data management) need to arrive at least 10 to 14 days before the start of the institute and depart four to seven days after the end of the institute.

Corps member institute dates and regional assignments                                                           
(* indicates confirmed expansion site for 2009; **indicates potential expansion site for 2009)

Institute Dates Regions Attending
Atlanta Institute June 7 to July 11

Atlanta, Denver, Jacksonville, Memphis, Miami-Dade, Nashville*, and St. Louis

Houston Institute

June 7 to

July 11

Dallas**, Hawaii, Houston, Indianapolis, Mississippi Delta, Rio Grande Valley, and South Dakota

Phoenix Institute June 14 to July 18 Greater New Orleans, New Mexico, Phoenix, and South Louisiana
Chicago Institute June 21 to July 25 Boston**, Charlotte, Chicago, Eastern North Carolina, Kansas City, and Milwaukee**
Philadelphia Institute June 28 to August 1

Baltimore, Connecticut, D.C. Region, and Greater Camden-Philadelphia

Los Angeles Institute June 28 to August 1 Bay Area, Las Vegas Valley, Los Angeles, Newark, and Twin Cities**
New York City Institute June 28 to August 1 New York City
Why are some applicants transferred to different institute pools? Can I apply to a different institute from the one to which my region is assigned?

Applicants who have a conflict that precludes them from attending the institute they would be automatically assigned to may be considered for another applicant pool. For example, if you were in the Atlanta corps but have been teaching in New York for the past ten years, you would likely be able to transfer into the New York City institute pool. In your online application you will have the opportunity to indicate any potential conflicts with your assigned institute, including but not limited to the dates of your assigned institute. In addition, in the event that we have a dramatic overflow of applicants at one institute, we may move candidates to other institute pools, in the case that you are open to moving. The institute leadership team will make decisions on a case-by-case basis and will confirm with applicants who are granted an interview about which pool they are in.

How many staff members do you plan to hire across all seven institutes?
Corps Member Advisors 359
Corps Member Advisor Coordinator 7
Curriculum Coordinator 7
Curriculum Specialist 62
Directors of Data Management 7
Literacy Specialist 28
Operations Coordinators 110
Operations Directors 42
Resource Room Specialists 35
School Directors 62
School Operations Managers 62
What is the starting salary for staff members?
Corps Member Advisors $5,600
Corps Member Advisor Coordinator $8,000
Curriculum Coordinator $8,000
Curriculum Specialists $6,500
Directors of Data Management $5,400
Literacy Specialists $6,500
Operations Coordinators $2,500-$3,000
Operations Directors $6,400
Resource Room Specialists $15/hour
School Directors $8,000
School Operations Managers $3,500-$4,000
Does Teach For America pay for my travel to and from the institute?

The institute will cover travel costs to the institute up to a certain amount. More details about travel reimbursement will be available in the spring.  Teach For America also covers shipping costs for instructional materials and computer supplies up to a certain amount. Details for shipping will be outlined during staff training in the spring.

What housing options are available for staff at institute?

All staff at the institute (except Resource Room Specialists) receive room and board.  Staff housing options differ across the seven institutes, but all institutes provide dorm-style accommodations for all staff members throughout the course of the institute. We will work to accommodate the needs of staff members with families. We try to meet staff members’ housing preferences, but do ask that you remain flexible as university circumstances may change.

What do I need to do in preparation for the institute?

Most staff members need to attend several weekend conferences in the spring to prepare for the institute.  Also, they will likely need to participate in several training conference calls with pre-work.

Conference

Attendees

Institute

Dates

Leadership Conference #1

School Directors All

Saturday, February 21-

Sunday, February 22

Leadership Conference #2

School Directors

Atlanta

 

Chicago

Houston

Los Angeles

New York City

Philadelphia

Phoenix

Saturday, March 14-

Sunday, March 15

 

Saturday, March 21- Sunday, March 22

Operations Director Conference

Operations Directors All Saturday, April 4- Sunday, April 5
All Staff Conference


Corps Member Advisors

Corps Member Advisor

Coordinators

Curriculum Coordinators

Curriculum Specialists

Literacy Specialists

Operations Directors

School Directors

Atlanta

 

Houston

 

Phoenix

 

Chicago

 

Los Angeles

 

New York City

 

Philadelphia

Saturday, April 18- Sunday, April 19

Saturday, April 18- Sunday, April 19

Saturday, April 18- Sunday, April 19

Saturday, April 25-

Sunday, April 26

Saturday, April 25- Sunday, April 26

Saturday, April 25- Sunday, April 26

Saturday, April 25- Sunday, April 26

All Staff Conference #2
(NYC and Atlanta* ONLY)

*Tentative

Corps Member Advisors

Corps Member Advisor Coordinators

Curriculum Coordinators

Curriculum Specialists

Literacy Specialists

Operations Directors

School Directors

School Operations Managers

 

Atlanta

New York City

TBD

Friday, May 29- Sunday, May 31

Half Staff Conference

Corps Member Advisor Coordinators

Curriculum Coordinators

Curriculum Specialists

Literacy Specialists

Operations Directors*

School Directors

*Varies by institute

Atlanta

 

Houston

 

Phoenix

 

Chicago

 

Los Angeles

 

New York City

 

Philadelphia

 

Saturday, May 2- Sunday, May 3

Saturday, May 2- Sunday, May 3

Saturday, May 2- Sunday, May 3

Saturday, May 16- Sunday, May 17

Saturday, May 16- Sunday, May 17

Saturday, May 16- Sunday, May 17

Saturday, May 16- Sunday, May 17

Week Zero*

 

Corp Member Advisors

Corps Member Advisor Coordinators

Curriculum Coordinators Curriculum Specialists

Literacy Specialists

Operations Coordinators

Operations Directors

School Directors

School Operations Managers

Atlanta

 

Houston

 

Phoenix

 

Chicago

 

Los Angeles

 

Philadelphia

 

New York

Monday, June 1- Saturday, June 6

Monday, June 1- Saturday, June 6

Monday, June 8- Saturday, June 13

Monday June 15- Saturday, June 20

Monday, June 22- Friday, June 26

Monday, June 22- Saturday, June 27

Wednesday, June 25- Saturday, June 27

DISCLAIMER: Conference attendance is mandatory; however any applicant who has a conflict that may preclude them from attending a scheduled conference is still encouraged to apply. Scheduling conflicts do not have any bearing on hiring decisions, and exceptions may be made to accommodate staff members with extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the hiring manager. Please email institute staff@teachforamerica.org with any questions or concerns.

Can I be on institute staff and still apply for a full-time position with Teach For America?

Yes, you can apply for both an institute staff position and a full-time position with Teach For America. Separate applications are required, and applicants will be considered separately for both positions. Should you be hired for both positions, the managing director of institute and your new manager can address the feasibility of taking both positions.

Can I be on institute staff if I have been accepted into the 2009 corps?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to hold a position on institute staff if you are an incoming 2009 corps member.  It is of critical importance that our incoming corps be able to focus on their professional development as educators and on student achievement during the institute.  Additionally, institute staff positions require work hours during the same hours that the 2009 corps will be teaching and in sessions, so it is not logistically possible to do both at the same time. 

How do I apply for an institute staff position?

Go to www.teachforamerica.org/careers/institute for detailed position descriptions and applications. All applications must be submitted online. Following the submission of your application, you will be contacted regarding whether you have been granted an interview.

If you are selected for an interview, you will be sent materials to prepare. While we would like to be able to conduct in-person interviews, due to geographical constraints all interviews are conducted by telephone. The timeline for the application process varies by position.

Can I apply for more than one institute position?

Yes, you can apply for more than one institute position. The required activities for each position vary, so please be sure to complete and upload the appropriate activity and to add yourself to the appropriate position pool online. To add yourself to another pool if you have already applied for one position, go to www.teachforamerica.org/careers/institute and click on "Apply Now", which will bring you to the application module.  Log in as a previous applicant (with the e-mail address you used for the first application), search for a new position, open the position description, and click “Add to my jobs” at the bottom of the screen.  If you do not recall the password to your account, you can request to have it sent to your e-mail address.  Please do not create a second account with a separate e-mail.

How can I attach more than four documents to my institute application?

The application module enables applicants to attach 1 resume and up to 3 additional documents to their application.  Applicants who are applying to more than one position often find that they need to attach more than the allowed number of documents.  To include additional documents, please send an e-mail to institute staff@teachforamerica.org with the remaining documents attached.  Please name your documents in the following format: Firstname_Lastname_Position_Document (i.e. Sam_Smith_OD_ProjectPlan) so that we can easily determine to which application the attached documents should be uploaded.

What if I have worked on institute staff in the past?

If you have worked on institute staff in the past, please indicate that on the online application. Also, note that you will have a different topic for your letter of intent than first-time applicants. Please visit www.teachforamerica.org/careers/institute to learn more about the application process.

Why don’t you ask for recommendation letters?

We find that the information provided in your application, combined with recommendations (where possible) from your regional team, gives us enough information to make an informed decision.

Is there a staff waitlist?

Every year, we typically waitlist approximately 15 – 20 percent of our accepted applicants. We use a waitlist so that as we have a final count of new corps members and we find a need for additional institute staff members, we can make offers quickly. We communicate with waitlisted applicants on an ongoing basis and set a final date to notify them of their status.

Can first-year corps members apply to be CMAs?

Given that classroom experience is so important to supporting new corps members, we generally prefer that CMAs have at least two years teaching experience by the time they start the job. We do recognize, however, that every year there are a handful of first-year corps members who meet all the other qualifications of the CMA role, and we are occasionally able to make exceptions for those corps members.

We encourage first-year corps members to consider any of our operations director and school operations manager positions.

What is the timeline for the application process?
Position Application Due Notification of Interview or Decline Final Notification
Corps Member Advisor Coordinator

Sunday,

November 30

Monday,

December 8

Friday,

January 9

Curriculum Coordinator

Sunday,

November 30

Monday,

December 8

Friday,

January 9

School Director

Sunday,

November 30

Monday,

December 8

Friday,

January 9

Curriculum Specialist

Sunday,

January 11

Friday,

January 16

Tuesday,

February 24

Literacy Specialist

Sunday,

January 11

Friday,

January 16

Tuesday,

February 24

Operations Director

Sunday,

January 11

Friday,

January 16

Tuesday,

February 24

Corps Member Advisor

Monday,

January 19

Monday,

February 2

Monday,

March 9

Director of Data Management

Monday,

January 19

Monday,

February 2

Monday,

March 9

Operations Coordinator

Monday,

January 19

Monday,

February 2

Monday,

March 16

School Operations Manager

Monday,

January 19

Monday,

February 2

Monday,

March 9

Resource Room Specialist

Friday,

March 13

Tuesday,

March 24

Monday,

April 13*

Please note:

  • Applicants who are granted interviews will have one phone interviews during the interview period.

  • Interviews range between 30 and 90 minutes.

  • All interviews will be conducted by phone.

  • All notification will be via e-mail.

I missed the school director application deadline.  Can I still apply?

Yes, we are currently accepting late applications.  All late applicants will be notified 10-14 days after their application has been received.

What if I have additional questions regarding employment at the institutes?

If you have additional questions, please visit our website: www.teachforamerica.org/careers/institute or please email institute staff@teachforamerica.org.

Can I receive feedback on my interview?

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to give individualized feedback on interviews.

I'm a Mac user and I'm having trouble applying. What can I do to circumvent the error messages I'm receiving?

It has come to our attention that Mac users browsing with Safari may experience technical difficulties when submitting the online application.  If you are a Safari user and are experiencing problems, we recommend using a different browser, such as Mozilla Firefox, to submit your application.  If you need additional assistance, please e-mail institute staff@teachforamerica.org.