Alabama
Overview
Alabama will be a new Teach For America site for the 2010-2011 academic year. The rural Black Belt region of Alabama is home to some of the most important events of the Civil Rights Movement. On average, 91 percent of the students in these school systems are considered low-income and 88 percent of the student population is African American.
Only one in five low-income eighth grade students in Alabama exceeds grade-level standards in reading. In comparison, half of their more affluent peers exceed those same standards. Corps members will play an important part in shaping Teach For America’s role and reception in Alabama and impact the direction and scope of the local movement for educational excellence.
Life
Alabama's rural Black Belt region continues to be defined by the legacy of the plantation agriculture system and the Civil Rights Movement. Poverty grinds away at many of its citizens today. The unemployment rate is often greater than 10 percent in Black Belt counties and educational achievement is desperately low. Additionally, in the last 50 years, the population of the Black Belt has dropped 25 percent.
Despite the region’s difficult socioeconomic conditions, the region has a lot to offer residents. Alabama, and the Black Belt in particular, has an abundance of natural woodlands, streams, and wildlife perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. Residents enjoy a relatively low cost of living and minimal local tax burden. The Black Belt is also within a two-hour drive from Birmingham or Montgomery, and the Gulf Coast beaches to the South make for a wonderful day trip. Despite the region’s vast geography, placement districts are relatively clustered, giving corps members the chance to room with or near other corps members in their communities.
Corps Culture
Members of previous charter regions have enjoyed knowing that they are part of Teach For America’s beginnings in a new community and that through achieving student gains and building strong community relations, they have an impact on Teach For America’s success. Charter corps members tend to have a particularly strong bond and have unique opportunities to take up leadership positions to grow the impact and community of the corps. Corps members will be supported by a regional executive director and program staff. Several Teach For America alumni in education, law, business, and finance already currently reside in Alabama.
Teaching
On average, 91 percent of the students in our partner school systems are considered low-income and 88 percent of the student population is African-American. Children in the Alabama Black Belt face difficult obstacles and the achievement gap is palpable. In most Black Belt school districts, less than 10 percent of eighth grade African-American students exceed grade-level math standards.
Corps members will teach in a number of school systems across the rural Alabama Black Belt region including Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry, Selma, and Sumter.
Certification and Testing
Because Alabama is a new Teach For America site, details on certification, testing, and a university partnership to pursue a master’s degree are still being finalized.
Living and Education Expenses
Salary and Taxes
| Salary |
$36,000 |
| Taxes |
0.0% |
Cost of Living
| Housing Single |
$0 |
| Housing Shared |
$0 |
| Health Insurance |
$0 |
| Utilities |
$0 |
| Daycare |
$0 / month |
| Monthly Tranist Pass |
$0 |
| Car Insurance |
$0 |
| Car Required |
Access to car is essential |
Start-up Costs
| Testing Costs |
$0 |
| Up-front Certification Costs |
$0 |
| How do you pay start-up costs? |
|
Ongoing Costs through the Two-year Commitment
| Ongoing Certification Costs |
$0 |
| Use AmeriCorps award for testing/certification costs? |
No |
| How is teaching certification structured in this state/region? |
|
| Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of two years? |
No |
| Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment? |
No |
| Extra Master's Degree Costs |
$0 |
| Partner Universities |
|
Notes and Clarifications
- Beginning teacher salary: If you have a master's degree in education, are placed in a bilingual classroom, or in a math/science classroom you may receive additional compensation.
- Avg. health insurance: In some placement districts, health insurance premiums are pre-tax deductions.
- Total tax rate: Federal + state + city. Only applies to starting salaries.
- Up-front certification: Expenses that must be paid before your first day of teaching.
- Paying start-up costs: Can you pay for testing and up-front certification costs with transitional grants and loans or do you have to pay out-of-pocket?
- Ongoing certification: Total certification costs over two-year teaching commitment.
- AmeriCorps award for certification: Can you use your AmeriCorps award to pay testing/certification costs?
- Master's in two years: Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of two years?
- Master's required: Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment?
- Extra master's degree costs: Additional total cost to obtain a master's degree (on top of ongoing certification costs); does not include AmeriCorps award.
- Partner university(ies): These universities partner with Teach For America for ongoing certification requirements, and in some cases, the fulfillment of a master's degree in education.
