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Rural regions

With national attention often focused on struggling urban schools, few Americans have a clear picture of the challenges facing rural schools or the potential economic and social policies that might benefit these communities. By joining Teach For America in a rural region, you have a chance to effect lasting change in one of our country’s most under-served communities.

	Eastern North Carolina	Hawai'i	Mississippi Delta	New Mexico
	Rio Grande Valley	South Dakota	South Louisiana

At the same time, joining the corps in a rural region can give you a glimpse into aspects of the United States you otherwise might never experience. If you live in an urban or suburban community, living and teaching in a rural region may be a rare opportunity for you to experience life in the rural United States with other like-minded people making the move at the same time. If you grew up in a rural area, you have the potential to be a particularly powerful role model for the students and community you serve.

As a corps member in a rural region, you have the chance to experience first-hand a culture characterized by strong community involvement. Corps members in rural regions find they are able to develop particularly close relationships with parents, students, community members, and one another. It is common to run into students and parents at the supermarket, or to be invited to important events like birthdays and baptisms.

All of our rural regions have cities nearby where corps members can go shopping or take weekend trips. Several regions have both urban and rural placements.

Although salaries in rural schools are usually lower than they are in urban regions, discretionary income is actually higher, allowing corps members the opportunity to amass savings.