Nearly 180 New Teach For America Teachers Join Local Efforts to Expand Educational Opportunity

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 7, 2011—Teach For America announced today that nearly 180 new teachers will teach in the D.C. region beginning this fall as part of the largest entering national corps in the organization’s history. With the addition of these teachers, 360 corps members will be working in high-need public schools in the D.C. region this fall, collectively reaching 17,500 students.

Teach For America’s new national corps totals 5,100 teachers who are top graduates from colleges and universities across the country. These corps members represent a wide variety of personal and academic backgrounds and professional experiences. One-third identify as people of color, including 12 percent who are African American and 8 percent who are Hispanic. Twenty-two percent are the first in their family to graduate from college, and nearly one-third received Pell Grants. Twenty-threee percent are graduate students or professionals. 

“Last month, I was pleased to meet with an outstanding group of Teach For America corps members teaching in 5th District schools,” said Congressman Steny Hoyer. “These recent college graduates work to ensure that all children—no matter their families’ circumstances—receive the quality education they deserve. This has been a priority of mine throughout my years representing the 5th District, and I look forward to working with the new Teach For America corps members to provide our children the tools they need to learn and excel.”

This year, nearly 48,000 individuals applied to Teach For America, and 14 percent were accepted. Applicants included11 percent of seniors at Georgetown University and 10 percent of the graduating class at Howard University.

 “We are thrilled to welcome our new corps,” said Jemina Bernard, vice president of regional operations at Teach For America. “These new teachers are poised to have a real impact on the D.C. region’s highest-need schools and students.”

A growing body of rigorous research demonstrates the effectiveness of Teach For America corps members in the classroom. Recent studies from Louisiana, North Carolina, and Tennessee found that corps members have a positive impact on student achievement. The Tennessee study identified Teach For America as the most effective of the state’s 42 teacher-preparation programs, with corps members demonstrating a greater impact on student achievement than the average new teacher in every evaluated subject area.

School leaders give Teach For America corps members high marks. Nationwide, 94 percent of principals who employ corps members report seeing a positive impact in the classroom.

“Friendship Public Charter School is proud of our work over the past 10 years with Teach For America,” said Michael Cordel, chief academic officer for Friendship Public Charter School. “Starting with a single Teach For America corps member 10 years ago, we have grown to an organization that has over 80 corps members and alumni, including three principals in D.C. and Baltimore. We recognize many of our successes, including the turnaround work at Anacostia, could not be accomplished without the strong partnership we have with the D.C. Teach For America team. Furthermore, we are incredibly excited that three of our graduates from the Collegiate Academy class of 2007 were accepted into Teach For America this year and are ready to join both organizations’ efforts to improve America's schools and ensure all children, no matter race or class, receive a world-class education.”       

Teach For Americais building a strong pipeline of leaders in education. Two-thirds of Teach For America alumni are working full-time in the field, with more than 550 alumni serving as school principals or school system leaders. In addition, many alumni are launching innovative efforts to expand educational opportunity. Nearly 1,300 Teach For America alumni are living and working in the D.C. region.

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. Today, more than 9,000 corps members are teaching in 43 regions across the country while nearly 24,000 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 http://www.teachforamerica.org.  

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Additional Words of Support:

“I have worked with Teach For America for the past two years. I have found the teachers to be professional and well-trained and the leadership to be extremely responsive. But what has been more important is their caring attitude and willingness to go above and beyond to help our students achieve academic success.” —Gordon Libby, Principal at Green Valley Academy

“The mission of this outstanding national organization is to eliminate educational inequity in this country by attracting dedicated, talented college graduates to teach and make a lasting impact in underserved communities across the country. I am very pleased that this new class of Teach For America teachers will be joining our teaching force in Prince George’s County this fall and helping to ensure that all our students receive the educational opportunities they deserve.”—Sen. Ben Cardin

“I’m proud to see this new class of Teach For America teachers coming to our region. These dedicated, talented recruits will make a lasting impact on our schools and our students. Every kid deserves a good education, and I will keep fighting so Teach For America teachers have the support and funding they need to change children’s lives.” —Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski

“I am pleased that Teach For America is bringing 180 of our country’s best college graduates to teach throughout our metropolitan region. Over the last three years, Teach For America has brought 207 teachers to Maryland’s 4th Congressional District to help close student achievement gaps. It is my hope that these new teachers continue to play that same positive role, so that all our students can receive a quality education that is a fundamental component to success in a 21st-century global economy.” —Congresswoman Donna Edwards