Alabama
About Us
We are committed to working towards one of the greatest Civil Rights issues of our day: educational equity.
Firmly believing in the power of increased educational opportunity, four Black Belt community members sat down at Mustang Oil, a diner in rural Alabama, and decided to work to bring Teach For America to the state of Alabama. Despite many obstacles, they secured everything necessary to guarantee 30 teachers a place to work in Alabama’s Black Belt beginning in 2010. Since then, the Alabama region has rapidly expanded across the Black Belt and in some of our largest urban areas.
Our alumni base in Alabama is rapidly growing, with over 300 alumni living and working in Alabama, taking on major policy roles, becoming principals, and bringing AP classes, ACT prep, and college-level work to their schools. While we are far from finished in our fight for educational excellence in Alabama, we have maintained the grassroots spirit that first brought us here, and we are committed to working towards one of the greatest Civil Rights issues of our day, educational equity.
“I spent three years teaching in rural Alabama and fell in love with my students and their home. That experience and love brought me back to Alabama. Coming back, I knew I’d have so much support from the Bamaly and could have an even bigger impact here. That solidified my move back from across the country.”
Living Here
The story of Alabama is one of triumph. Leaders from across Alabama fought for equity and civil rights for all people through the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act. We stand on their shoulders to fight for educational equity today.
For our corps members, living in Alabama means honoring the history of the work that has happened here, while continuing to work towards educational equity every day. Alabama is quickly being known for our vibrant art and film community, a thriving food and restaurant scene, and quickly growing entrepreneurial opportunities. Our members have found opportunities to build relationships with elected officials, community leaders, community members, families, and students in a way that might not be as easily accessible in other places in the nation. We have found that our members quickly grow and expand their networks by working side-by-side with local communities.
Our members also find opportunities for rest and relaxation by taking advantage of multiple sporting events all year long through professional and collegiate baseball, football, soccer, basketball, and gymnastics. They have also found opportunities to explore our state’s beautiful hiking trails, mountains, rivers, and campsites. Our state has multiple art and music festivals throughout the year and has been honored as one of the nation's fastest growing, high quality food scenes in the nation.
Our members mostly live in Birmingham, Marion, Tuscaloosa, Selma, and Montgomery and they teach in Birmingham, Greensboro, Marion, and Selma. These locations are centrally located and make trips around the state, Atlanta, Nashville, and New Orleans can all be quick weekend trips.
Where and What You'll Teach
Birmingham City Schools
Birmingham City Schools
Birmingham is one of the largest cities in Alabama and has a thriving food, art, and sports scene that will give you something to look forward to every week. Birmingham has a deep history of civil rights advocacy and has had a national impact on human rights policies. Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods each have a unique identity and history and the 20,000+ students who attend Birmingham City Schools bring all of those assets to their classrooms. Birmingham City is home to 42 schools and six feeder patterns: Carver High School, Huffman High School, Jackson-Olin High School, Parker High School, Wenonah High School, and Woodlawn High School. Ramsay High School is the magnet school for the school district.
Perry County Schools
Perry County Schools
Marion and Uniontown are the two cities in Perry County and have a history of educational opportunities that have impacted the state. Marion is known as the City of Colleges and is the birthplace of many Universities throughout the state. Uniontown also has a focus on environmental justice and recreational opportunities. Perry County has two K-12 schools: Francis Marion School and Robert C. Hatch School.
Selma City Schools
Selma City Schools
Selma is known as the Queen City of the Black Belt. It has a celebrated history of impacting voting rights for the entire nation through the historic Selma to Montgomery Marches. Selma has a legacy of arts, culture, and education and has wonderful proximity to outdoor recreation, hiking, and the Alabama River. Selma City is home to nine schools and one feeder pattern: Selma High School.
Hale County Schools
Hale County Schools
Greensboro and Moundville are the two cities in Hale County and both have historical importance in the state and nation. Moundville is home to Mississippian-era mounds built by Indigenous tribes more than 1,000 years ago and was a center of trade and commerce. Greensboro is known as Alabama’s Catfish Capital and was the birthplace of one of the nation’s first civil rights associations, the Hale County Civic Improvement League. Hale County is home to seven schools and two feeder patterns: Greensboro High School and Hale County High School.
What You'll Teach
Corps members may teach one or more of the following subjects, depending on the needs of our district partners. Approximately 70% of corps members are placed in middle and high school classrooms, with 30% teaching elementary.
- Elementary
- Middle School Science
- Middle School Social Studies
- Middle School Math
- Middle School English
- High School Science
- High School Social Studies
- High School Math
- High School English
- Spanish
Getting Certified to Teach
Certification can be obtained in two to three years depending on route taken:
- Two years for a master's degree (Interim Employment Certificate – IEC )
- Three years for the non-masters degree route (Provisional Certificate in Teaching Field - PCTF)
- Two years for the non-masters degree route (Conditional Certificate in a Teaching Field)
- Costs can range depending on whether teachers want to pursue a post-baccalaureate alternative teaching certification (lower end of cost spectrum) or a Master’s Degree.
A master's degree is required for elementary, but not for secondary. The master's degree can be completed in two years.
Teachers have elected to take master's courses at the following universities:
- University of West Alabama (Elementary and Secondary Education)
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham (Secondary Education)
Length of Certification Pathway:
- 2-3 years, depending on course load
Certification Cost: $10,210 - $13,320
- Praxis II Testing: $120 - $180
- State Certification Fee: $30 per year
- University Application Fee: $30 - $50
- Tuition: $10,000 - $13,000
The PCTF route results in a certification in teaching in the subject area that you are teaching. To receive certification without obtaining a master’s degree, Teach For America Alabama has teamed up with Athens State University to offer online courses towards alternative certification. Tuition is also deferred until AmeriCorps funds have been received.
- Athens State University (Secondary Education)
Length of Certification Pathway:
- 2 years of coursework & teaching
- 1 additional year of teaching
Certification Cost: $3,210 - $4,210
- Praxis II Testing: $120
- State Certification Fee: $30 per year
- University Application Fee: $30
- Tuition: $3,000 - $4,000
To receive certification without obtaining a master’s degree, Corps members can also choose to pursue a CCTF certification through Teachers of Tomorrow. These are online courses that can be completed at your own pace - teachers can become certified in 1.5 - 3 years.
- Teachers of Tomorrow (Secondary Education)
Length of Certification Pathway:
- 1.5 - 3 years of coursework & teaching, depending on your pace
Certification Cost: $3,280 - $3,310
- Praxis II Testing: $120
- State Certification Fee: $30 per year
- Tuition: $3,100 (AmeriCorps funds cannot be used towards this cost)
Local Leadership
Bryan Billy
Alabama '11
Executive Director
Teach For America Alabama
Bryan Billy has led TFA Alabama's statewide impact and strategy efforts for 10 years. Before becoming Executive Director in July 2023, he served as Senior Managing Director of Strategy and Program Impact. In that role, he partnered with superintendents across the state to address strategic educational needs, spearhead innovative solutions and connect organizations and corporations with the mission to provide an excellent education for all students in Alabama.
As the lead of TFA's programmatic work, Bryan transformed Alabama's program into one of the strongest in the non-profit organization’s national network. Teacher's reported some of the strongest experiences, with an average retention rate of 85 percent since 2014 and more than 300 alumni living and working in Alabama.
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