Teach For America is a nonprofit organization that recruits, develops, and supports a diverse network of outstanding leaders to expand opportunity for children.

A corps member is what we call our teachers during their first two years of our program. During those two years, they will be a classroom teacher.

Your loved one will be a classroom teacher in a high-need school, employed by a public district or charter network just like any other teacher, but with the support and training of our organization. 

We have been training and developing teachers for more than 30 years. As full time employees of their schools, corps members participate in the professional development, mentorship, and management practices available to all other educators in their building. In addition, Teach For America provides:

Central training and onboarding including: 

• Asynchronous learning about Teach For America’s foundations and program
• Live, virtual learning experiences to prepare corps members for the school year
• Local summer school teaching experience in placement regions
• One-on-one and group coaching experiences

Ongoing support and development including:

• Equity-driven teaching and learning summits four times per year
• Instructional coaching services 
• Asynchronous online resources and trainings
• Other supports such as local alumni networks, placement school resources, university partnerships, identity-based resource groups, and more

Students taught by Teach For America teachers are learning and achieving at the same or even better rates than students taught by non-Teach For America teachers in the same schools. Several evaluation studies, including randomized controlled trials, have found these results. The research also shows that Teach For America’s impact extends to other areas that are crucial to achieving educational equity, including diversifying our educator workforce and deepening educators’ understanding of systemic injustice. Details are available here. 

In a survey of principals who work with TFA corps members, the overwhelming majority—98%—reported satisfaction with corps members. 

Yes. Corps members make a commitment to teach for a minimum of two years. Many choose to stay longer. We find that no matter their career path, our alumni are fundamentally changed by their students and their experience in the classroom and continue to advocate for their students–whether from within or outside education.

We have honed our selection model and process over 30 years, learning from our most outstanding first and second year teachers. The application process includes an online application with written responses, letters of recommendation, and a one-on-one interview including a sample lesson and case study. Accepted candidates demonstrate:  

• A deep belief in the potential of all kids
• Demonstrated ability to create meaningful change
• A strong commitment to learning
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Respect for individual’s diverse experiences

Fewer than a quarter of applicants are admitted to Teach For America.

Our teachers are employed and paid by the district or public charter network where they teach, and receive the same salary and benefits as other beginning teachers. We place teachers in nearly 40 regions across the country, so salaries range from around $33,000 - $68,000 per year, depending on the region. You can look at specific regions here. 

Benefits from the district or public charter network include health insurance and retirement benefits.

Yes. Our teachers may be eligible for an AmeriCorps award of between $5,300 - $6,100 each year for their first two years. They may use this award toward student loans, teaching certification, or other educational pursuits.

All new teachers joining us receive a $5,000 grant to help with the transition to the classroom. For Pell* or DACA+ recipients, that grant is $10,000. 

Incoming teachers who self-identify as Black educators receive a one-time $600 grant via the Black Educators Promise Grant, a donor-funded initiative intended to support Black teachers in the classroom. 

Individual regions may also have additional supports such as affordable housing partnerships, or districts with signing bonuses. 

_{*Or those who would have otherwise qualified for a Pell Grant.}

_{+Including corps members with Temporary Protection Status (TPS), asylees, and refugees.}

New corps members had the option to apply directly to up to three (out of nearly 40) regions where they want to teach or to indicate they would go to the area of greatest need. If they selected the regions they wanted to apply to, they would have been admitted only to one of those places. 

Whether or not that means they are moving away or staying where they currently are, we provide a $5,000 Transitional grant ($10,000 for Pell* or DACA+ recipients) to help bridge the gap in their transition to this career. 

_{*Or those who would have otherwise qualified for a Pell Grant.}

_{+Including corps members with Temporary Protection Status (TPS), asylees, and refugees.}

After two years in the classroom, our teachers are considered alumni. No matter how their careers take shape, TFA alumni reflect on teaching the most profound leadership development experience of their career. While many continue to teach into a third year and beyond, our alumni (more than 60,000 of them) work in every sector and field. We help connect them with opportunities, resources, and each other immediately following their corps commitment and ongoing throughout their careers.

Our alumni network includes teachers, principles, district leaders, policymakers, attorneys, CEOs, business owners, doctors, and more. 

Benefits for TFA alumni include:

• Partnerships with graduate schools and employers around the country, including deferrals, scholarships, fee waivers, internships, and more
• A career and networking website, exclusively available for members of our network, which includes a robust job board and the opportunity to connect directly with hiring managers
• Skill-building and fellowship opportunities intended to accelerate impact in school leadership, social entrepreneurship, elected leadership, and more
• Membership in Leadership for Educational Equity, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that inspires and supports leaders with classroom experience to engage civically and politically
• A diverse and supportive network of alumni (more than 60,000 people) and staff, all working together in pursuit of educational equity

Teacher burnout and mental health is a very real challenge in this profession. As an organization, we are committed to the wellness of our teachers and to helping make teaching a more sustainable career.

In our work with corps members, we use the 8 Dimensions of Wellness which highlight the multi-faceted and interdependent nature of wellness and include emotional, financial, social, spiritual, occupational, physical, intellectual, and environmental wellness. Some examples include:

• Financial supports, including additional needs-based and emergency supports, to help new corps members make the transition to the classroom
• Intentional experiences in peer cohorts to help corps members feel connected and part of a thriving, supportive community of peers and mentors.
• Training our teachers to create an environment for positive social emotional learning for their students while balancing their own needs (which helps them be a better support to their students)
• Regions may have additional ways that they are supporting their teacher’s mental health, including regional mental health and wellness guides

Finally, our child-centered public policy agenda as an organization is derived from what we learn from our educators is most essential. Student and teacher wellness is at the top of that list right now.

Education is the most powerful and transformational lever we have to transform our society. Joining TFA gives corps members the opportunity to make both an immediate impact on individual children’s lives and be part of a movement for social justice more broadly. Our alumni also find the experience deeply develops them as leaders, accelerates their careers, and connects them to a driven, diverse, and equity-focused network of more than 60,000 leaders.