Massachusetts
About Us
Massachusetts is widely known for its place in U.S. history, its reputation as the ultimate “college town,” and for being home to some of the very best education our nation has to offer. Yet despite these assets, the Bay State is fraught with inequity—home to some of the largest educational attainment gaps in the country, as well as some of the very largest gaps in earnings and wealth. Despite the state’s beautiful landscapes and unique cultural offerings, social inequity is pervasive.
However, many here believe that if true educational equity at scale is going to happen anywhere, it will happen in Massachusetts. Our state enjoys a unique combination of resources—a rich tradition of prioritizing public education, a strong pipeline of talent, numerous colleges and universities, a forward-thinking state Department of Education, a rich nonprofit sector, and a generous philanthropic community. Massachusetts also is home to innovative and promising approaches to lasting improvements within traditional districts, such as school and district turnaround and transformation efforts, alongside arguably the strongest charter public school sector in the US.
We no longer question if it can be done. In Massachusetts, the question is: How can we accelerate the student success that we know is possible?
Central to our efforts is the belief that no social movement, in the past or today, can be successful unless communities are themselves at the forefront leading the work. Our state attracts great talent from around the country and around the world—and also has tremendous assets in the brilliant, inspiring, and dynamic students we are fortunate to work with. Our hope is that our students and families will be the teachers, principals, advocates, and policy makers that continue this work into the future.
There is much work to be done in Massachusetts—but there is also incredible potential.
What role will you play?
More than
2500
alumni in our region.
More than
190
corps members.
More than
120
school and school system leaders.
More than
2500
alumni in our region.
More than
190
corps members.
More than
120
school and school system leaders.
Our Corps Members
The Massachusetts region provides an unparalleled context for working toward educational equity. Here, you will be immersed in both the depth and pervasiveness of educational inequity and an unrivaled opportunity to make lasting change.
Massachusetts corps members teach in traditional and charter public schools in the Greater Boston communities of Boston, Lawrence, Chelsea, in Fall River in the South Coast, and in Springfield in Western Massachusetts. Wherever possible, we work to cluster multiple corps members in schools to maximize their impact on students and the community. Read on for more on each of these three sub-regions.
Where We Work
Greater Boston: Boston, Chelsea, and Lawrence
Greater Boston: Boston, Chelsea, and Lawrence
Greater Boston is our largest sub-region, both in terms of corps member placement and geographic spread. It is inclusive of Boston, Chelsea, and Lawrence, which are smaller Gateway Cities that have become significant immigrant pathways over the last several decades. Full of history, Greater Boston also boasts one of the most exciting education ecosystems in the country. The Boston Public Schools is the largest school district in the state, and Greater Boston is also home to a strong charter sector, as economically disadvantaged students regularly outperform their affluent suburban counterparts. A vibrant nonprofit sector supports our students and their communities with a wide range of resources, supported by a community of over 50 colleges and universities. Beyond city limits, whole school districts can defy the correlation between demography and success. The Lawrence Public Schools is one of the largest school system in the state and boasts an innovative ecosystem of school support.
South Coast: Fall River
South Coast: Fall River
A former international maritime hub about an hour south of Boston, the South Coast of Massachusetts is full of rich history and Portuguese and Azorean culture. Teach For America Massachusetts places corps members and alumni in Fall River, a Gateway City in the South Coast. We are proud a partner of Fall River Public Schools, where district leaders are taking bold steps towards improving student outcomes. We also partner with charter schools serving students in grades K-12. The South Coast, however, boasts a tight knit community of stakeholders across the board working together to turn the tide. A dynamic charter sector, including Alma del Mar Charter School and Atlantis Charter School, are combining innovation and time-tested practices to provide a transformational education for South Coast kids. We are also proud partners of New Bedford and Fall River Public Schools, where district leaders are taking bold steps towards improving student outcomes.
Western Massachusetts: Springfield
Western Massachusetts: Springfield
Located near the Berkshires, the city of Springfield presents a unique combination of opportunity for impact and an affordable lifestyle in a beautiful setting. Teach For America Massachusetts has partnered with the Western Massachusetts community since 2015 and significantly grown its presence and footprint over the years, establishing itself as a critical talent source for the educational equity movement. The momentum for educational equity in Western Massachusetts is at a unique and exciting inflection point. Our teachers and alumni are leading improvement efforts throughout the Springfield Empowerment Zone (SEPZ) and Springfield Public Schools, as well as leading some of Springfield’s charter schools.
Our Alumni
Our more than 2,500 include leaders throughout the K-12 education space, including veteran educators and principals, superintendents and district-level leaders, and state education officials. Our local alumni educators have founded innovative schools such as Unidos at Lawrence High School, and share their voice as advocates in many venues, including the White House. Alum Jeff Riley (Baltimore ’93) led a ground-breaking district-level turnaround in Lawrence, Massachusetts, that could be a model for sustained, systemic change in a traditional school district; he now leverages that perspective as the state’s Commissioner of Education. To increase access to post-secondary education, alumni leaders like Amanda Seider (Atlanta ‘02) and Chessye Moseley (Colorado ‘12) lead organizations and initiatives to support early college programs and matriculation to and graduation from college.
Alumni like physician Avik Chatterjee (New Jersey ’02) provide much-needed health care to deeply underserved communities, while others like Shenkiat Lim (Mississippi Delta ’00) leverage their passion and MBA to deepen the impact of community-focused organizations like City Year.
“It is important for me as a man of color to be a force in the education movement because many of the decisions made that impact students in under resourced communities are not made by people who reflect the backgrounds and experiences of those in the communities the policies most directly affect.”
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