Charlotte
Overview
Charlotte, known as “The Queen City,” is located in the southwestern part of North Carolina and is just a three-hour drive to the Carolina beaches and two hours to the scenic Appalachian Mountains.
Although Charlotte is considered a national finance center, many areas of the city continue to experience tremendous economic and educational need. For example, only 12 percent of high school students in Teach For America*Charlotte placement schools score proficient on state standardized tests. Only 33 percent of students in Charlotte’s lowest-income elementary schools are proficient in reading and math; while 93 percent of students in high-income elementary schools are proficient.
Teach For America has placed teachers in Charlotte since 2004. In 2008, a four million dollar gift from the C.D. Spangler Foundation enabled Charlotte to nearly double the size of its corps, becoming Teach For America’s second fastest growing region, and in turn allowing the region to increase its impact. Each year, corps members continue to lead their students to match or exceed the academic gains of students in high performing schools.
Life
Corps members find living in Charlotte very enjoyable as it uniquely blends aspects of Northern and Southern living. As the 20th largest city in the US, Charlotte has over 50 unique neighborhoods from which to choose, each with its own distinct feel and character. Money magazine recently rated Charlotte one of the top ten places to live in America, and Black Enterprise magazine named Charlotte as one of the top ten places for African-Americans to live, work, and play.
Charlotte's culture represents a full spectrum of interests, from the fine artwork of the Mint Museum to the roaring crowds of the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Charlotte's social calendar is filled with sidewalk dining, theater performances, gallery crawls, professional sporting events, outdoor festivals, and concerts.
Corps Culture
Charlotte corps members continue to produce dramatic academic results for their students with the help of staff members and participation in consistent ongoing professional development. Support systems and professional development opportunities available to corps members include:
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Placement clustering
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Participating in content-specific learning groups.
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Professional development workshops led by staff, alumni, and veteran teachers
Corps members have had a significant impact on student achievement.
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Corps member impact on student achievement is nearly three times the impact of teachers with three or more years of experience, according to the most recent Urban Institute study of North Carolina high school.
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For five consecutive years, a corps member has been named the district’s Outstanding First Year Teacher of the Year.
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Over 100 Teach For America alumni live, work, and lead in Charlotte, including the principal and founder of KIPP Charlotte and the executive of New Leaders for New Schools.
Teaching
Teach For America places corps members in Charlotte's "Finding Opportunities Creating Unparalleled Success" (FOCUS) schools. FOCUS schools are Charlotte’s highest-need schools and receive special emphasis in the district's efforts to improve school performance. Enlisting Teach For America corps members to teach in FOCUS schools is a critical element in the district's plan to improve its schools and achieve educational equality for all of its students.
Principals are pleased with the level of training corps members receive at the summer training institute as well as the energy corps members bring to their schools. For the past three years, a Charlotte corps member has been named Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' Outstanding First-Year Teacher. The school district provides support to all teachers through mentorship, networking, and curriculum specialists.
Certification and Testing
Teach For America corps members are considered Lateral Entry teachers in the state of North Carolina and will be issued a provisional license. All Lateral entry teachers must have a bachelor’s degree, a minimum 2.5 G.P.A., a passing score on the PRAXIS II test, and must be enrolled in a teacher education program working towards full licensure. Charlotte corps members enroll in the teacher education program at UNC-Charlotte, our university partner.
If they choose, corps members can obtain a master’s degree during their two-year commitment in Charlotte. UNC-Charlotte offers a master’s of art in teaching (M.A.T.) degree program exclusively for Teach For America corps members. Corps members can also choose to enroll in the graduate certification/licensure program, which is completed in one year. Corps members also pay an initial application fee of approximately $60 (subject to change at the discretion of UNCC). More information about these options will be provided to corps members upon acceptance.
Placements
| Elementary |
33% |
| Secondary |
56% |
| Special Education |
12% |
| Teach at a school with another corps member or alumnus |
100% |
Placements Available
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lower (K-2) and upper (3-5) elementary
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middle and high school math
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language arts, social studies, science, Spanish
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special education classrooms
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Living and Education Expenses
Salary and Taxes
| Salary |
$34,400 - $37,800 |
| Taxes |
20.91% - 21.92% |
Cost of Living
| Housing Single |
$600 - $900 |
| Housing Shared |
$400 - $600 |
| Health Insurance |
$0 - $50 |
| Utilities |
$60 |
| Daycare |
$448 - $520 / month |
| Monthly Tranist Pass |
$60 |
| Car Insurance |
$100 |
| Car Required |
Access to car is essential |
Start-up Costs
| Testing Costs |
$115 - $300 |
| Up-front Certification Costs |
$0 - $250 |
| How do you pay start-up costs? |
Out-of-pocket |
Ongoing Costs through the Two-year Commitment
| Ongoing Certification Costs |
Varies Greatly |
| 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? |
No |
| Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment? |
Yes |
| Extra Master's Degree Costs |
N/A |
| Partner Universities |
University of North Carolina - Charlotte |
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.
