Jacksonville
About Us
Since 2008, our educators and alumni have impacted tens of thousands of students across Jacksonville. More than just a source of excellent education leaders, we are a tight-knit, vibrant network grounded in our mission to provide all students with an excellent and equitable education and a future filled with opportunities. As a network and a broader community, we see progress across the state of Florida. Yet, opportunity in our highest-need communities remains disproportionately inaccessible across lines of race and income. Teach For America Jacksonville is committed to seeing the day where all students in our communities have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Local Leadership
LaKeisha Wells-Palmer
Executive Director
Teach For America Florida Regions
LaKeisha Wells-Palmer leads Teach For America's efforts as the Statewide Executive Director of Teach For America regions in Florida. With 22 years of experience in education, she serves as a champion for principals, teachers, and students. She has spent the last 11 years at Teach For America, serving as the Executive Director of Jacksonville, Central Florida, and Miami-Dade following five years leading Jacksonville’s programmatic efforts.
Living Here
Living Here
Welcome to the vibrant heart of the Sunshine State – Jacksonville, Florida! Nestled along the picturesque Atlantic coastline, Jacksonville offers a dynamic blend of laid-back beach vibes and bustling urban energy. Life here is a captivating fusion of natural beauty, deep history, and cultural diversity.
Each Jacksonville neighborhood has its own distinct rhythm and character. From the historic charm of Springfield, Riverside and Avondale, where oak-lined streets beckon you to explore boutiques and eateries, to the thriving arts scene in Five Points and San Marco, there's something to satisfy every taste.
Bask in the sun-soaked shores of the stunning beaches. Whether you're catching waves at Jacksonville Beach, or strolling the sandy stretches of Hanna Park, the coastal lifestyle is always at your doorstep.
Discover a number of world-class museums, galleries, and cultural hubs along the First Coast. Dive into history at the Museum of Science & History (MOSH), or experience contemporary creativity at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. Home to the country’s oldest city of St. Augustine just miles away, North Florida is steeped in deep historical context.
Jacksonville boasts an abundance of adventures for outdoor enthusiasts. Explore the untamed beauty of the Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve, kayak through the meandering waterways of the St. Johns River, or hike the scenic trails of one of the many nearby state parks.
Soak up the sun, savor the cultural richness, and embrace the spirit of adventure – this is what the Jacksonville lifestyle is all about.
Certification and Graduate School
Florida offers two types of educator certificates: temporary and professional. It is not required to earn a master's degree in our region.
Jacksonville corps members receive a three-year non-renewable temporary certificate. In order to qualify for the temporary certificate and be hirable by the first day of school, all corps members are required to:
- Pass a Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE) Subject Area Exam prior to their first day of teaching
- Provide an official copy of their degree-conferred transcript from ana accredited college or university
- Pay a $75 fee to the Florida Department of Education for each subject area certification applied for
Maintaining Your Certificate
- Pass the Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE) General Knowledge Test by the end of your first year teaching.
Obtaining a Professional Certificate
- Enroll in an alternative certification program and pass the Professional Education Test (PEd) by the end of their third year.
- Additional routes can be found on the Florida state certification page
Teach for America Jacksonville corps members are not required to attend a graduate program during their two-year commitment. However, many of our corps members choose to take advantage of our partnership with Johns Hopkins University’s online master of science in education program (includes nine free credits for your Teach For America pre-service training).
Alumni Leadership
Transforming education requires a broad and diverse coalition of people united around shared values and purpose, and our focus is on leveraging networks to pursue and achieve systems-level change. We do this by developing, supporting, and tracking the degree to which our alumni are making purposeful change in the area; engaging with and initiating programs or policies locally; and connecting with each other, our community, and our network to achieve maximum impact.
More than
1500
TFA alumni live and work in Florida
Over
50%
continue to work in K-12 schools
In 2020-21
73
Florida alumni won Teacher of the Year
More than
1500
TFA alumni live and work in Florida
Over
50%
continue to work in K-12 schools
In 2020-21
73
Florida alumni won Teacher of the Year
Alumni Spotlights
Brandi Pikes, Associate Attorney, Winston & Strawn LLP
Brandi Pikes, Associate Attorney, Winston & Strawn LLP
As distinct as the two fields may seem, law and education actually have a lot in common. Take it from Brandi Pikes, associate attorney at law and a Jacksonville 2013 Teach For America alum. Her frequent encounters with attorneys who also happened to be TFA alumni showed her that teaching offered worthwhile experience before entering law. Through her time in the corps, Brandi gained interpersonal skills, leadership skills, and strength of character, all of which have been indispensable to her current profession.
Cameron Frazier, Principal and Founder of Becoming Collegiate Academy
Cameron Frazier, Principal and Founder of Becoming Collegiate Academy
“Throughout my educational career, I have been privileged to work alongside the vast network of TFA alum—inside and outside the school system—to create opportunities across the country. This network of leaders, have and will continue to serve as a source of inspiration in continuing the pursuit of educational equity for all.”
Kate Fulginitti, School Leader and Former Assistant Principal of the Year
Kate Fulginitti, School Leader and Former Assistant Principal of the Year
“As you get to know kids and their stories, you have no choice but to love and to challenge them to believe in their potential and position them to be as successful as possible”
Rachael Tutwiler Fortune, CEO, Jacksonville Public Education Fund
Rachael Tutwiler Fortune, CEO, Jacksonville Public Education Fund
“Bridging the divide between the education systems and businesses to prepare the next generation for the next wave of careers, ensuring curriculum and instructional practices are inclusive of the knowledge and skillsets students will need to be successful. Closing the opportunity gap by strengthening talent in and around our public schools, notably ensuring we support great teachers and leaders are the most pressing issues for our community.”
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Support Our Work
We are extremely grateful for your support. Your generosity has enabled us to build a diverse force of corps members and alumni serving our students and working from all angles to ignite the movement for educational equity. Your gifts help to recruit, select, train, and support excellent teachers and leaders for Jacksonville students.