Baltimore - Teach For America

The Corps Experience

Baltimore

Overview

As a relatively small city of just over 630,000 residents, Baltimore offers corps members and alumni the opportunity to make a major impact in urban education reform. In 2009, corps members made up 32 percent of all new teacher hires in Baltimore County Public Schools – a percentage that affirms Teach For America’s place as a major player in the city’s reform movement. Teach For America’s 17-year history in Baltimore lends corps members the credibility necessary to quickly become leaders in their schools.

The schools superintendent is a reform-minded champion of Teach For America, and has repeatedly asked the Baltimore region to grow its corps size. The fruits of those reforms can be seen in real time: over the past year, school enrollment, graduation rates and test scores have all risen. In 2009, the city was removed from a state list of failing systems.

Life

Baltimore ranks third on MSN’s 2009 list of “Top Cities for New Grads,” thanks in part to its high concentration of young adults and low rents. As a smaller city, Baltimore offers the advantages of city life with a neighborhood feel. Baltimore corps members live in row homes, apartments and lofts in various eclectic neighborhoods throughout the city, each with its own unique personality.

In Charles Village, corps members can rent Victorian row homes, often shared by several corps member. These homes feature front porches and small backyards in walking distance to grocery stores, restaurants, bars and coffee shops.
Mount Vernon, a National Historic District and once home to Baltimore’s high society, now features an independent theatre district and many nightlife options.
Federal Hill, located just beyond Baltimore’s famed Inner Harbor, is home to the city's aquarium and science center, and is in walking distance to Camden Yards and Ravens’ Stadium.

Corps Culture

The Baltimore region has a tradition of fostering a close-knit community with a very strong corps culture. The phrase “One Cause, One Corps!” - the region’s call to arms - can often be heard arising from an All Corps’ event in Baltimore.

Corps members have formed buddy programs to help plan and prepare for classroom instruction and provide additional support for first-year corps members.
“Corps ambassadors,” a group of first and second year corps members, act as liaisons with the regional office organizing social events including a boat cruise around the Baltimore harbor and an end-of-year celebration for first-year corps members.

Because the Baltimore corps culture is so strong, the region is also home to a highly active alumni base of more than 430. Many alums from other regions have matriculated to Baltimore to become principals and school leaders.

180 Teach For America alumni live in Baltimore and work in the field of education.
14 alums are school leaders in Baltimore, serving as principals, assistant principals or key administrators for the school district, including the deputy chief of staff for the BCPS superintendent.

Teaching

Roughly 85 percent of students who attend Baltimore City Public Schools are considered high need, and the district bears witness to the educational achievement gap that persists in the United States. In 2009, Maryland was ranked No. 1 in education by Education Week and also had the highest passing rate of advanced placement tests of any state in the nation. Yet BCPS continues to be one of the lowest performing districts in the state, with only 40 percent of eight graders receiving a score of proficient or better on the 2009 Maryland State Assessment (MSA).

BCPS principals have a very favorable opinion of Teach For America corps members and as such, our teachers are heavily recruited by principals. What that looks like for corps members in Baltimore:

In the 2009-2010 school year, Teach For America expanded its reach into additional 26 schools, with corps members and alumni now operating in 88 out of the district’s 190 schools.
Baltimore’s early childhood corps members played a critical role in an expansion of pre-kindergarten to an additional 800 of the city’s students in 2009.

Certification and Testing

In order to enroll in a certification program, corps members must pass exams call The PRAXIS Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers. Applicants assigned to Baltimore will receive more information about these exams once they are accepted.

All Baltimore corps members have the opportunity to become certified within two years and about 70 percent also earn a master’s degree during this time. Through partnerships with The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and Towson University, corps members have the option of earning a master’s degree in addition to fulfilling basic certification requirements.

The master’s program is two years and costs approximately $11,000 - $17,000, depending on in which university and degree corps members choose to enroll. The region’s university partners also operate under a direct billing agreement with the district, so corps members do not pay tuition fees up front. Most corps members who accept BCPS tuition support pay for the remaining costs of their degree using their AmeriCorps education awards ($4,725 per year), resulting in minimal out-of-pocket expenses.

Placements

Pre-K	7%
Elementary	25%
Secondary	68%
Teach at a school with another corps member or alumnus	93%
Placements Available early childhood elementary biology chemistry English math physics Spanish social studies special education

Living and Education Expenses

Salary and Taxes

Salary	$44,280 - $44,326
Taxes	24.2%

Cost of Living

Housing Single	$650 - $1,000
Housing Shared	$550
Health Insurance	$25
Utilities	$60
Daycare	$126 - $212 / month
Monthly Tranist Pass	$53
Car Insurance	$120
Car Required	Access to car is essential

Start-up Costs

Testing Costs	$210 - $290
Up-front Certification Costs	N/A
How do you pay start-up costs?	out-of-pocket

Ongoing Costs through the Two-year Commitment

Ongoing Certification Costs	$5,250
Use AmeriCorps award for testing/certification costs?	Yes
How is teaching certification structured in this state/region?	2 year - Through university
Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of two years?	Yes
Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment?	No
Extra Master's Degree Costs	$6,750 - $13,750
Partner Universities	Johns Hopkins University or Towson University

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.