Who we're looking for
Corps and Alumni
FAQ - Assignment and placement
- Where do you place teachers?
- Can I choose my teaching site?
- Can I choose the grade level and subject I will teach?
- Can I teach a specialized subject such as art or music?
- What am I qualified to teach?
- Will I need to pass certain tests in order to be hired by a school district?
- When will I know my actual teaching placement?
- Am I guaranteed a placement?
- How will I secure housing in my regional placement?
Where do you place teachers?
We currently place corps members in 35 urban and rural regions across the country.
Visit our map to see where we place teachers.
Can I choose my teaching site?
You will have the opportunity to provide your preferences for our regions if invited to a final interview, and preferences do not impact admissions decisions. When placing corps members, we consider applicant preferences along with applicants’ ability to meet state and district hiring standards (largely based on undergraduate coursework credits) and each region’s grade-level and subject needs.
Learn more about choosing a teaching location and assignment.
Can I choose the grade level and subject I will teach?
You will have the opportunity to provide your grade-level and subject-area preferences, as well as your regional preferences, if invited to a final interview. Preferences have no bearing on admissions decisions. When placing corps members, we consider applicant preferences along with applicants’ ability to meet state and district hiring standards (largely based on undergraduate coursework credits) and each region’s grade-level and subject needs.
Learn more about choosing a teaching location and assignment.
Can I teach a specialized subject such as art or music?
Accepted applicants’ assignments depend on the school district needs, school district requirements, and applicant preferences. One of our primary goals in the placement process is to provide school districts with teachers in the highest-need subject areas. As a result, the majority of our teachers are placed in the following positions:
- Elementary: general elementary, bilingual, or special education
- Secondary (middle school/high school): math, science, English, or social studies
A small number of corps members are placed in English as a Second Language (ESL), foreign language, or other specialized positions, such as art or music.
That said, we find that many corps members who have a particular interest or background in any area such as fine arts are able to integrate these skills into their class curriculum.
What am I qualified to teach?
Each of our regions has a separate set of hiring requirements for their teachers, which are established at the school district or state level. Requirements often include combinations of undergraduate coursework credits for each teaching position. For example, a district might require that middle school English teachers have a certain number of upper-level English literature credits and/or a major in English. Requirements may also include a minimum GPA above Teach For America’s 2.50 minimum. To determine what you are eligible to teach, we compare your transcript information to the requirements for each position. Without exception, we must assign you to a region and position for which you qualify. Because requirements are complex and subject to change, and because we must thoroughly evaluate your transcript to determine your eligibility, we are not able to tell you in advance what you will qualify to teach.
Will I need to pass certain tests in order to
be hired by a school district?
Yes, (with extremely limited exceptions) our corps members must pass a certification test to be eligible to teach. This will require some preparation, and corps members who don’t pass their test will need to repeat the test in time for the start of the school year. Teach For America is not responsible for finding placements for corps members that do not take or pass the required tests for a particular region or assignment.
Learn more about certification and testing in our placement regions.
When will I know my actual teaching
placement?
Due to external factors that can affect and/or delay districts’ hiring processes, timelines vary significantly between regions and even within a region. In the vast majority of situations, corps members are hired throughout the summer and in the weeks prior to the start of school. You will learn more about your region’s timelines and processes once you are accepted and assigned to a region.
Am I guaranteed a placement?
Teach For America strives to guarantee every corps member an initial teaching placement provided you meet all district and state requirements for teaching in your assigned site and for remaining in your position for two consecutive years. It is possible that due to unanticipated factors such as layoffs or other budgetary constraints on our district partners, placement may be in a different grade level/subject matter, or in some instances, in a different region than originally assigned. Historically, regions have been able to place corps members who fulfilled regional requirements.
How will I secure housing in my regional placement?
While Teach For America provides housing for corps members during regional induction and the summer institute, Teach For America does not provide housing during the corps commitment. Nonetheless, many corps members use the summer institute and regional induction as opportunities to meet other corps members who may be seeking housing as well. Upon acceptance to a region, you can work with regional staff members and other incoming corps members to find housing.
Visit our regional pages to learn about where and how corps members typically live.
