Bipartisan Amendment from Reps. Chris Van Hollen and Michael Castle Sets Future Federal Spending Levels to Support Expansion of National Teacher Corps
For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Rabinowitz | Teach For America
917.763.0697 | Amy.rabinowitz@teachforamerica.org
NEW YORK, February 7, 2008—The U.S. House of Representatives today passed an amendment offered by Reps. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Michael Castle (R-Del.) which clarifies the funding that can be authorized to support Teach For America’s national expansion efforts. Teach For America is the national corps of top college graduates who commit two years to teach in low-income communities and become leaders in the movement to end educational inequity. This amendment, along with language placed in the Higher Education Act reauthorization by the Education and Labor Committee, provides federal funding guidelines for Teach For America’s recruiting, training, placement, and professional development efforts.
This legislation comes as Teach For America enters the final two years of an ambitious 2010 growth plan. The authorization language provides for up to $20 million in federal funding for Teach For America through the Department of Education for fiscal year 2009, $25 million for fiscal year 2010, and such sums as necessary for outgoing fiscal years. Teach For America projects that by 2010 it will place 7,500 teachers in 33 regions across the country, reaching more than 600,000 underserved students in pre-K through 12th grade. At the same time, some 20,000 alumni will be working from within education and all other fields to level the playing field for children and families in low-income communities.
“Teach For America is an incredible national program achieving measurable results,” said Rep. Van Hollen. “It’s important that we continue to support this program’s growth as it expands to reach hundreds of thousands of high-need kids across the country.”
“I am pleased with the passage of this amendment which authorizes funding for Teach For America, an outstanding corps of recent college graduates of all academic majors,” Rep. Castle said. “It is my hope that this amendment will enable Teach For America to grow farther and help develop lifelong leaders for education.”
“Congress’ support enables us to continue to expand the positive outcomes we are having in underserved communities throughout the country,” said Wendy Kopp, founder and CEO of Teach For America. “I cannot say enough about the importance of this support in channeling the talent and energy of our nation’s future leaders into classrooms in our lowest-income communities, and ultimately into ensuring that all our children have access to an excellent education.”
About Teach For America
Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in expanding educational opportunity. This year, more than 5,000 corps members are teaching in over 1,000 schools in 26 regions across the country, and more than 12,000 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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