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Metro D.C. corps members will likely number an unprecedented 300 members for the 2008-09 school year. The Metro D.C. alumni network of more than 700 people includes the newly appointed Chancellor of D.C. Public Schools, as well as the majority of its senior leadership, an elected school board member and more than 20 principals or vice principals in the metro region including schools where corps members are placed. This is a truly historic time to be working to close the achievement gap in Metro D.C.
| Quick Stats |
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| Site Since: 1992 |
| Corps Size: 242 |
| Average yearly temperature: 53.8° |
| Car: May be required depending on area of placement. |
Salary: See cost of living  |
One of the most vibrant metropolitan areas in the country, Metro D.C. retains a Southern charm and offers its own intellectual stimulation, social activities, and incredibly diverse population. Metro D.C. boasts many of the country's national treasures including the Smithsonian museums, the national monuments, the Library of Congress, and the White House, which are open to all, free of charge. The National Mall, an open grassy area where the major monuments are located, is home to political protests, patriotic events, festivals, and movie screenings. The population of the District of Columbia, or “The District” as it is referred to by its residents, is 550,000, while the D.C. Metro area is home to nearly 5 million people. Outside the District line, counties in Virginia (Arlington and Alexandria County) and Maryland (Montgomery and Prince George’s County) are all a part of life inside the Capital Beltway and the metropolitan D.C. area.
Life
Metro D.C. is a community comprised of distinct neighborhoods, and corps members live in a variety of neighborhoods in and around the District of Columbia. Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan are eclectic neighborhoods that offer a variety of international shops, restaurants, and entertainment. The U Street and Shaw neighborhoods offer apartment buildings, row-houses, and group house opportunities. Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant, north of Adams Morgan, are home to many corps members who share row-houses. Lined with apartment buildings and within walking distance to shops and nightlife, the Connecticut Avenue Corridor includes the Woodley Park and Cleveland Park neighborhoods. All of these areas are Metro (subway/bus) accessible and are located relatively close to Rock Creek Park, the Smithsonian, and other downtown attractions. The Capitol Hill area is also a popular destination and housing location. This neighborhood is located near Union Station, a large train station and shopping area, Eastern Market, which hosts an incredible open-air market on the weekends, and, of course, the stunning Capitol building.
Neighborhoods in Virginia and Maryland, such as Alexandria, Arlington, and Silver Spring, offer quieter, slightly more suburban living. Just minutes outside of the District, many corps members also live in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in areas such as College Park, home to the University of Maryland. Prince George’s County Public School System offers discounts to teachers on several apartment complexes. These areas are often more affordable than those within the city lines and are therefore popular alternatives for D.C. corps members.
Metro D.C. corps members teach both in the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County, Maryland. For those corps members assigned to teach in Washington, D.C., a car is optional depending on corps members' preferences and where they choose to live. For corps members teaching in Prince George’s County, Maryland, a car is necessary.
Corps Culture
The Metro D.C. corps is an enthusiastic group of professionals who embrace the responsibility of teaching in the capital region during an era where the effectiveness of reform-minded approaches are finally being given an opportunity to work and are being put to the test. They actively support each other in their pursuit of significant academic gains in student achievement.
Teach For America staff members play a critical role in supporting corps members in meeting their goals by visiting schools to observe corps members in their classrooms, holding one-on-one meetings, and providing a variety of forums for corps members to come together professionally and socially. Metro D.C. corps members meet in content-specific learning teams and Teaching As Leadership seminars once a month to receive support and to share best practices. They also observe in excellent schools around the District – many of which were founded by Teach For America alumni – in order to improve their teaching practices.
The Metro D.C. corps is also striving to be a community that deeply values the diversity of its members and where all corps members feel a sense of commitment to one another and our mission regardless of their own race or socioeconomic status . We are explicitly committed to ensuring every corps member is actively growing in his or her understanding of how to approach issues of race and class in ways that maximize the positive impact of our work with students.
Our corps members
Placement regions
Corps and Alumni
