As Teach For America channels some of our best and brightest young teachers into economically disadvantaged locations, our students and our communities are benefiting daily from their energy, commitment, and creativity. The immediate impact that results from a contribution to Teach For America is nearly without parallel, and is something that all conscientious corporate citizens should consider.
- Steve Betts, President and CEO, SunCor Development Company
This year, a corps of nearly 300 of the nation’s most promising future leaders are teaching in our city’s lowest-income classrooms as a part of Teach For America • Phoenix. They are working to ensure their students have the educational opportunities they deserve. Our alumni are a leadership force, working from within education and every professional sector to effect broader change. Together they are helping us make educational equity a reality in Phoenix. Learn about living and teaching in Phoenix.
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Alumni Impact | |
Financial Sustainability | |
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Executive Director |
Recent press releases
Recent press coverage
During the 2007-08 school year, nearly 300 corps members are directly impacting the lives of more than 30,000 students in Phoenix. Tracey Naylor is one example of the tremendous difference our corps members are making.
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Tracey Naylor (Phoenix Corps '06) |
Upon entering her class, Tracey’s students were bombarded with messages about growing their brains and reaching new levels of understanding. Their hard work resulted in huge success on their district benchmark test—they received the highest scores of any sixth grade class in the district, including those in the gifted and talented programs. For her dedication, determination, and student achievement results, Tracey has been named the Glendale Elementary School District Rookie of the Year. Although it was not her original plan, Tracey now intends to be a lifelong educator.
Phoenix: Our Impact on Students and Schools Today
| School Year | Corps Members | Students Reached |
|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 | 154 | 13,090 |
| 2006-07 | 170 | 14,450 |
| 2007-08 | 288 | 24,480 |
| 2008-09 | 400* | 34,000* |
| 2009-10 | 450* | 38,250* |
* projected |
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Principal Satisfaction
*"Teach For America 2007 National Principal Survey,” Policy Studies Associates, July 2007.
Impact on Student
Achievement
According to a highly regarded study by Mathematica Policy Research, corps members outpaced fully certified and veteran teachers in their schools in moving their students ahead academically. Read national results.
Student Profile
Phoenix: Corps Member Placement
| Assignment | # of Corps Members | % of Corps |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics and Science | 53 | 18.4%, nearly 50% of all secondary teachers |
| Special Education | 54 | 18.8% |
| Social Studies | 10 | 3.5% |
| English | 30 | 10.4% |
| Elementary | 134 | 46.5% |
| Bilingual Elementary | 7 | 2.4% |
| Total | 288 | 100% |
*Percentages are rounded and may not add up to 100 percent.
Characteristics of the 2008 Corps
| Corps Profile | Top alma maters by market share* |
|---|---|
| Average GPA: 3.6 | Spelman College: 16% |
| Average SAT: 1320 | Morehouse College, Williams College, Yale University: 11% |
| Held leadership
roles on campus: 95% |
Duke University, Georgetown University, University of Chicago, Wake Forest University, Wesleyan University: 10% |
| People of color: 29% | Amherst College, Harvard University, Haverford University, Notre Dame University, Princeton University, Rice University: 9% |
*Percentage of senior classes who applied to Teach For America
Fostering Alumni Leadership for Systemic Change
As the number of corps members grows, so does our alumni base. By 2010, we will have over 2,000 Teach For America • Phoenix alumni pursuing professional careers and impacting educational reform from every sector.
Amanda Burke (Los Angeles Corps '99) |
Amanda Burke is one of the many alumni continuing to work toward our vision in Phoenix. From her position in the Office of University Initiatives at Arizona State University, and as a member of the Teach For America • Phoenix Board of Directors, Amanda orchestrates a multi-faceted partnership between Arizona State University and Teach For America that includes recruitment opportunities and a master’s program that offers teacher support and development for corps members.
Each additional recruit is another dedicated teacher for children growing up in low-income communities in Phoenix, and another talented leader with the insight and commitment necessary to sustain the reform efforts underway, which is critical to the ongoing vitality of our region.
| Year | Corps Size | Revenue Needs |
|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 288 | $6.25 million |
| 2008-09 | 400* | $6.55 million* |
| 2009-10 | 450* | $7.25 million* |
* projected |
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We are grateful to have many supporters who generously contribute to our movement in Phoenix. The foundations, corporations and individuals listed below have made it possible for Teach For America to continue to recruit, select, train, and support teachers who are working to eliminate educational inequity in our city.
| Advisory Board |
|---|
| Lyn Attaway Community Volunteer |
| Kate Baker* Vice President and Treasurer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona |
| Kelly J. Barr, Esq. Manager Regulatory Affairs & Contracts Salt River Project |
| Wendy Briggs Partner Veridus, LLC |
| Amanda Burke, Alumna Associate Director for Education and Education Policy Arizona State University |
| Rebecca Burnham Partner Greenberg Traurig, LLP |
| Ernie Hostetler, AIA* President The Hostetler Corporation |
| Mark Leinweber Vice President Stevens-Leinweber Construction, Inc. |
| Mac Perlich Community Volunteer |
| Barbara Ralston* Founder and Chairman Camelback Community Bank |
| Brenda Robinson Vice President & Sr. Relationship Manager Wells Fargo |
| Connie Wilhelm* (Board Chair) President and Executive Director Home Builders Association of Central Arizona |
* Executive Committee Member |
| Corporate, Foundation and Public Support Show more + |
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We thank the Helios Education Foundation for their extraordinary support of our work:
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$1,000,000 and above |
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| Arizona Department of Education | ||
$500,000 and above |
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| Helios Education Foundation | ||
$200,000 - $499,999 |
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| Arizona Department of Education |
Roosevelt School District No. 66 | |
$100,000 - $199,999 |
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| Glendale Elementary School District Home Builders Association of Central Arizona |
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust | |
To support Teach For America • Phoenix with a gift or to request additional information about our impact or finances, please contact:
Teach For America • Phoenix
Pearl Chang Esau, Executive Director
Dayna Cobarrubias, Managing Director, Development
Ernie Clarke, Manager of Individual Giving
Christina Colletta, Manager, Corporate and Foundation Relations
3030 N. Central Ave
Suite 900
Phoenix, AZ 85012
p 602-304-0211, f 602-304-0213
pearl.esau@teachforamerica.org
dayna.cobarrubias@teachforamerica.org
ernest.clarke@teachforamerica.org
christina.colletta@teachforamerica.org
Pearl Chang Esau joined Teach For America as a 2003 corps member, teaching 5th grade English Language Learners in East Los Angeles. Her commitment to the larger community led her to spearhead several community engagement projects including painting a 300 foot long mural for her school. Pearl first joined Teach For America staff in 2005 as a member of the recruitment team. At the end of her first year as a recruitment director, Pearl garnered the team’s largest one-year growth, giving UCLA and the University of Southern California the first and second highest number of accepted applicants in the country. Most recently, as a managing director of recruitment, Pearl founded the faith-based outreach team and led Teach For America’s national recruitment efforts in faith communities. She also oversaw a recruitment cohort that brought in almost 900 applications for the 2008 corps, which was a 35% increase over the previous year. Pearl graduated summa cum laude from UCLA and holds teaching credentials from UCLA’s graduate school of education and information studies.
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