Mid-Atlantic
Overview
Teach For America • Mid-Atlantic (offers corps members the opportunity to serve students in diverse and vibrant urban communities. The cities of Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington share histories of celebrated settlement and early industrialization. Today they are ripe with opportunity as new economic and cultural development have paved the way for dynamic initiatives and reform.
Corps members assigned to Mid-Atlantic (Philadelphia/Camden/Delaware) will receive their specific placement city once they are accepted, but can indicate during the application process if they have a strong preference to teach in Philadelphia, Camden, or Wilmington. With Philadelphia and Camden separated only by the Delaware River, and Wilmington only 30 miles to the southwest, it is easy for all Mid-Atlantic corps members to live in and access all three cities. The majority of corps members in this region teach in Philadelphia, the second largest city on the east coast and the sixth largest city in the country. Meanwhile, 19 corps members teach across the river in Camden, and for the first time in 2009, 22 are teaching in Wilmington as part of Teach For America’s Delaware corps.
Life: Philadelphia
Philadelphia's neighborhoods have much to offer: hip and trendy shops and restaurants in Northern Liberties, bustling Chinatown, farmers’ markets and parks in West Philadelphia, and exclusive shopping nestled next to beautiful Rittenhouse Square. There are seemingly unlimited arts and cultural offerings and a multitude of museums and performance venues with affordable admission costs.
In all parts of the city, corps members have a variety of affordable housing options. West Philadelphia, west of the Schuylkill River and home to the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, is a diverse neighborhood where active block associations provide a sense of community. Corps members can choose to live together and rent a whole house.
In Center City, corps members can choose between larger apartment complexes and apartments in brownstone houses. Center City is home to terrific restaurants, theaters, gyms, and nightlife. In South Philadelphia, many corps members rent row homes or apartments.
Life: Camden
While the beaches and resorts of the Jersey Shore and beautiful hiking destinations are only a short drive away, the city of Camden itself is also in the midst of a major revitalization. State aid and private developers are investing in restaurants, museums, schools, hospitals, and university buildings. The success of this effort can be seen in a new light-rail system in the downtown area as well as a waterfront overlooking the Delaware River and Philadelphia skyline. The city of Camden houses several entertainment venues including the New Jersey State Aquarium and the Tweeter Center.
Corps members teaching in Camden have numerous housing options to choose from. Within the city itself, there is a plethora of diverse restaurants, and there are three huge shopping areas within a 10-mile radius. Corps members placed in Camden tend to live either in the city, its surrounding New Jersey suburbs, or Philadelphia.
Life: Wilmington
Due to the tremendous growth of the city in the 80s and 90s from the Financial Center Development Act, Wilmington is flourishing with things to do. Corps members take advantage of Wilmington’s beautiful gardens, fabulous mansions, unique museums, and numerous festivals, as well as a wide selection of performing arts and several nearby historic towns that retain their 17th- and 18th-century ambience.
Corps members teaching in Wilmington have numerous options for housing from downtown apartments to renting houses with friends in historic towns right outside the city. Most Wilmington corps members live right on Market Street close to the center of the city.
Corps Culture
The Mid-Atlantic corps is focused on student achievement and creates a strong sense of commitment and community among its members. Corps members meet monthly, in conjunction with their state’s respective university classes, for content-based learning teams facilitated primarily by Teach For America alumni. Corps members receive ongoing support their program director, learning teams, issues-based workshops specific to teacher needs, and all-corps meetings. Many corps members teach in schools with other corps members or alumni, who further provide them with support and guidance. The Teach For America • Mid-Atlantic regional program team is committed to creating a network of support for corps members to access, in addition to the network they create among themselves.
Teaching
Teach For America • Mid-Atlantic corps members are assigned to teach in Philadelphia, Camden, or Wilmington in traditional school district schools, charter schools, or community-based early childhood organizations. Our charter school partners and community-based organizations serve the same populations as the region’s public schools. Charter schools often allow students in the community the opportunity to attend specialized schools at no cost to their families.
One of the most exciting aspects of teaching in the Mid-Atlantic is the ability for corps members to quickly take on leadership roles in their school and district. Frequently, corps members will be assigned content-based leadership within their schools by the end of their corps commitment, and also take on roles as representatives for their unions’ committee leaders, coaches, or advisors for extra-curricular activities. Teach For America • Mid-Atlantic corps members are able to immediately use their leadership skills to effect change at their school sites.
View a map of our placement areas.
Certification and Testing
Mid-Atlantic corps members must register for and take two or more of the Praxis series of exams in order to receive certification in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Delaware. Precise testing requirements vary by corps member placement area and city and we encourage applicants to note these differences.
Certification programs for new teachers in the Mid-Atlantic can be expensive. To offset some of this cost, all corps members qualify and can apply for financial aid in the form of federal loans. In addition, after completing their first year of teaching, corps members currently receive an AmeriCorps education award, which can be applied to the second year's tuition or used to pay back financial aid loans accrued during the first year. Corps members also benefit from tuition discounts at all Mid-Atlantic partner universities, which are included in the costs cited below.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia corps members who are not already certified are required to enroll in the Teacher Intern Certificate Program, Pennsylvania's alternative certification program. Teach For America currently partners with Chestnut Hill College for special education and early childhood education certification coursework and the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education for certification coursework in all other subject areas.
At Chestnut Hill College, the current discounted tuition rate for certification is approximately $16,000 total over two years. Corps members attending Chestnut Hill College receive a master's degree in conjunction with their certification for the same cost.
Corps members attending the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education can choose to pursue certification at a cost of approximately $12,000 over two years. Corps members at the University of Pennsylvania also have the option to pursue a master's degree in combination with their certification at a total cost of approximately $40,000 over two years ($20,000 total each year to obtain a master’s and certification).
Camden
Camden corps members who do not already have New Jersey certification are required to enroll in a state-approved alternative certification program. All corps members teaching in Camden become certified at the end of their first year of teaching. Upon completing the alternate certification program, corps members are permanently certified to teach anywhere in the state.
The cost of tuition for the New Jersey alternate route certification program is approximately $2,300. Corps members are able to pay in installments beginning in the fall.
Additionally, Camden corps members now have the alternative option of pursuing either their certification or their certification plus master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. The cost of this option would be the same as the cost for Philadelphia corps members described above.
Wilmington
Wilmington corps members who do not already have Delaware certification are required to enroll in Delaware’s Alternative Routes to Certification Program. All corps members teaching in Delaware are eligible to receive a standard certificate at the end of their second year of teaching.
Teach For America currently partners with Wilmington University to provide corps members with certification. Wilmington corps members attend regular classes at Wilmington University’s main campus. The cost of tuition for the program at Wilmington University is approximately $11,000 total for certification and a master’s degree. All corps members attending Wilmington University receive a master's degree in conjunction with their certification for no additional cost.
Placements
| Pre-K |
3% |
| Elementary |
22% |
| Secondary |
78% |
| Teach at a school with another corps member or alumnus |
94% |
Placements Available
-
early childhood education
-
general subject elementary
-
specific subject middle school
-
specific subject high school
-
general subject special education
-
bilingual
|
Living and Education Expenses
Salary and Taxes
|
Philadelphia |
Camden |
Wilmington |
| Salary |
$36,000 - $43,000 |
$43,000 - $47,000 |
$33,000 - $38,000 |
| Taxes |
21.46% - 23.18% |
21.66% - 22.42% |
20.53% - 21.63% |
Cost of Living
|
Philadelphia |
Camden |
Wilmington |
| Housing Single |
$700 - $900 |
$700 - $900 |
$500 - $700 |
| Housing Shared |
$650 - $750 |
$650 - $750 |
$450 - $550 |
| Health Insurance |
$75 |
$75 |
$75 |
| Utilities |
$60 |
$60 |
$60 |
| Daycare |
$700 |
$700 |
$700 |
| Monthly Tranist Pass |
$78 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Car Insurance |
$170 |
$230 |
$230 |
| Car Required |
Access to car is essential |
Access to car is essential |
Access to car is essential |
Start-up Costs
|
Philadelphia |
Camden |
Wilmington |
| Testing Costs |
$260 - $405 |
$130 - $210 |
$210 - $325 |
| Up-front Certification Costs |
$40 |
$7 |
$0 |
| How do you pay start-up costs? |
Out-of-pocket |
Out-of-pocket |
Out-of-pocket |
Ongoing Costs through the Two-Year Commitment
|
Philadelphia |
Camden |
Wilmington |
| Ongoing Certification Costs |
$12,000 - $16,000 |
$2,300 |
$5,175 - $8,625 |
| Use AmeriCorps award for testing/certification costs? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| How is teaching certification structured in this state/region? |
2 year - Through university |
1 year - Through university |
2 year - Through university |
| Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of two years? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment? |
Varies |
No |
Varies |
| Extra Master's Degree Costs |
$0 - $25,000 |
$35,000 |
$0 |
| Partner Universities |
Chestnut Hill College or University of Pennsylvania |
Rowan Univ., Montclair State.Univ. or Univ. of Penn. |
Wilmington University |