Greater New Orleans
Our Progress
The New Orleans education system has made significant progress over the last three decades.
In 2019, only
8%
of New Orleans public schools were considered failing, compared to 62% in 2005.
TFA has spent
32
years working shoulder-to shoulder with students, educators, community members, and local leaders in GNO.
In 2020, almost
80%
of students in Orleans Parish graduated from high school, compared to only 54% in 2004.
The New Orleans education system has made significant progress over the last three decades.
In 2019, only
8%
of New Orleans public schools were considered failing, compared to 62% in 2005.
TFA has spent
32
years working shoulder-to shoulder with students, educators, community members, and local leaders in GNO.
In 2020, almost
80%
of students in Orleans Parish graduated from high school, compared to only 54% in 2004.
This progress has been due in part to the impact that Teach For America corps members and alums have had on our local education system. To date, more than 3,000 corps members have come to our region to serve in open-enrollment public schools across the state. Many more Teach For America alums from other regions have answered the call for leadership in our communities and have chosen to make Louisiana home. Approximately 70% of our local network of leaders work in every level of education; from running education organizations to teaching, leading schools and districts, and serving at the Louisiana Department of Education and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
To date, there are 1,100 alums in the Greater New Orleans area and more across the state. They join the additional 70 corps members teaching in 30 schools in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. After more than 30 years of impact, so much has changed for Louisiana, but there is still work to do to provide the educational opportunities our students need to create a future filled with possibility. We know we can get there because our children have the potential for excellence and our leaders are dedicated to equity.
Our Community
Across America, you won't find a more engaging, invigorating, and dynamic community in which to learn and grow as an educator and a leader than Greater New Orleans. Our region carries a rich and complex history that can be seen in our great food, wonderful music, Mardi Gras, and magic. But that history also manifests as injustice, inequity, and uncertain futures for our most vulnerable children.
Approximately 1.2 million people live in the Greater New Orleans region, but our corps members are predominantly placed in the city of New Orleans with some in neighboring Jefferson Parish. A highlight of living and working in New Orleans is the connection to a unique American city with a culture like none other. New Orleans culture was created through a diverse “gumbo” of traditions and influences, and as a corps member you will be immersed in the city and in your school community.
In partnership with many others, we are working to establish a large-scale movement that relies on a powerfully connected group of leaders who work to create solutions and ensure that schools are catalytic places for all students.
Living in Greater New Orleans
Unique in every way, New Orleans is a city full of interesting neighborhoods, many of which change in character from one block to the next. The large area known as Uptown includes several of New Orleans' most historic and storied locales, such as the Garden District and Audubon Park. Mid-City boasts beautiful City Park, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the Fairgrounds racetrack, home of the world famous Jazz & Heritage Festival. Both Uptown and Mid-City, as well as the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods, are home to many corps members and alumni.
From sampling the city's famous cuisine at countless restaurants, to hearing live music on Oak or Frenchmen Street, to shopping on Magazine Street or dining in the newly revitalized Freret Street neighborhood, there's never a shortage of things to do in New Orleans outside the classroom. Even lesson planning can be done in a beautiful, unique setting like the Rosa F. Keller Library & Community Center, which was recently rebuilt and reopened. A fantastic addition to the Broadmoor neighborhood, this library has a cafe and hosts a variety of weekly programs, including ESL tutoring, computer classes, knitting circles, and cooking classes.
“The generosity of the people of New Orleans and the depth of its history and culture, combined with the innovation that's so alive—especially in the realm of education—make this the most beautiful place to live.”
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