Local Teach For America Corps, Supporting Regional Efforts to Raise Student Achievement Levels, Grows by More Than 25 Percent
For Immediate Release
Contact: Rhonda Stewart | Teach For America
(202)-281-8675 | rhonda.stewart@teachforamerica.org
BALTIMORE, May 24, 2010—Teach For America announced today that 170 of the organization’s new teachers will come to the city this fall, boosting the local Teach For America corps to 325. Altogether, these teachers will impact more than 20,000 students in Baltimore’s highest-need public schools.
The new local teachers are among more than 4,500 incoming Teach For America corps members nationwide, the largest incoming corps in the organization’s 20-year history. They were chosen through a highly selective process that attracted a record 46,000 applicants. At more than 120 colleges and universities, more than 5 percent of the senior class applied to Teach For America, including 12 percent of all seniors at Ivy League universities, 10 percent of the graduating class at Georgetown University, and 7 percent of seniors at Johns Hopkins.
“The leadership and dedication of Teach For America teachers have made an impact not only in their classrooms but throughout the school community,” said Jay Hartling, principal at Northwestern High School. “Our Teach For America teachers exemplify a commitment to providing every child in our school with a top-notch education.”
“We are thrilled to be able to expand our impact by welcoming a new corps of teachers to the city,” said Omari Todd, executive director of Teach For America in Baltimore. “These 170 new teachers will join our current corps members and alumni in working tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of Baltimore students today and for generations to come.”
Teach For America, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, will place more than 8,200 first- and second-year corps members in 39 regions across the country this fall.
This year’s incoming corps members have an average GPA of 3.6 and 89 percent held a significant leadership position. The fastest-growing segments of the corps are graduate students and professionals seeking to have an immediate impact in education. Twenty-eight percent of incoming corps members received Pell Grants. Almost one-third are people of color, including 7 percent who are Hispanic and 11 percent who are African American, which is more than double the percentage of African American graduates at the colleges where Teach For America primarily recruits.
A growing body of rigorous research demonstrates the effectiveness of Teach For America teachers. A new study from the University of North Carolina compares the effects on student achievement of graduates from the UNC teacher-preparation system with teachers from other pathways, including Teach For America. At every grade level and subject studied, students taught by Teach For America corps members did as well as or better than those taught by traditionally prepared UNC graduates. Middle school math students of Teach For America teachers received the equivalent of an extra half-year of learning.
Teach For America’s track record of achieving results for students has earned the organization support from a wide range of political and community leaders in Baltimore and across Maryland.
“I am so proud to welcome the new class of Teach For America corps members to Baltimore,” Sen. Barbara Mikulski said. “Teach For America and Baltimore City Public Schools have been partners in transforming classrooms and transforming lives for more than 15 years. This national service organization works to increase student achievement by recruiting outstanding college graduates to devote two years to teaching in our most challenging schools. I fight every year to increase funding for Teach For America because I’ve seen firsthand how these teachers can change classrooms and communities.”
"Maryland continually strives to offer a quality education to our future generation of leaders and is proud to right now be ranked No. 1 in the nation," said Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin. "The new Teach For America corps members who will be coming to Baltimore classrooms this fall are a valuable addition to our community, our schools, and our vision for the future."
The new corps members in Baltimore will join almost 400 Teach For America alumni in the region who are working from within education and every other professional sector to expand opportunities for students and families in low-income communities. Of the 20,000-plus Teach For America alumni nationwide, two-thirds remain in education, including 450 who are school principals or superintendents.
About Teach For America
Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in expanding educational opportunity. This fall, more than 8,200 corps members will be teaching in 39 regions across the country, while more than 20,000 Teach For America alumni continue working from inside and outside the field of education for the fundamental changes necessary to ensure educational excellence and equity. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org.
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