New York

All of New York City's 1 million students have the potential to be the leaders our city needs. Teach For America New York corps members, alumni, schools, and partners are working together to make sure all children in NYC have the opportunity to attend great neighborhood schools that support, inspire, and challenge them to become those leaders.

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About Us

Since our founding in 1990, Teach For America New York has played a leading role in New York's movement to ensure all children have access to an excellent education. We have introduced close to 7,000 promising leaders to New York schools. Teach For America corps members have helped to meet critical needs as education leaders who believe deeply in the potential of all children, particularly in hard to staff areas.

Our corps members and alumni are among the group of bold leaders who have helped to change the prevailing ideology about what is possible for kids of color from low-income backgrounds. Their classrooms and schools serve as proof points, demonstrating that with high expectations, clear vision and goals, solid plans and strong execution, all students can achieve at high levels.

Today, Teach For America is striving to reach a bold goal: By 2030, twice as many children in communities where we work will reach key educational milestones indicating they are on a path to economic mobility and co-creating a future filled with possibility.

Nearly

300

corps members are teaching in NYC.

Close to

75%

of our corps share the experiences and backgrounds of their students.

Almost

TFA alums live and work in our region.

It Takes A City

Join Us

Let's support, inspire, and challenge students to be the next generation of leaders that New York City needs.

Check Eligibility

Our Programs

We offer two programs to support New York's learners.

The Corps

Our corps members are leaders, who work in partnership with students and families to deliver rigorous and data-informed content and to create joyful, inclusive learning environments for all students. Together, we will seek to build more excellent education systems that meet the needs of every child through bold leadership and deep understanding of self in relation to others.

Apply to the Corps

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Ignite Fellowship

Started in 2022, Ignite is a national tutoring corps designed to accelerate learning and foster belonging with students, leveraging research-based best practices for high-impact tutoring. Ignite builds on Teach For America’s over 30 years of experience recruiting, developing, and supporting talent and partnering with communities across the country to help students overcome the systemic barriers to an excellent education. The Ignite Fellowship brings exceptional, leaders into classrooms virtually to add immediate value for students, while creating shifts towards the future of learning.

Apply to Ignite

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Our Impact in New York

New York City has made significant progress in education. Over the past decade, we have seen record-level high school graduation rates, as well as gains in college and career readiness among New York City students. New York City’s promise of universal pre-kindergarten has resulted in an increase in the number of 4-year-olds enrolled in pre-K from 20,000 in 2014 to more than 70,000 in 2017, setting future generations up with a strong foundation in their early education.

Teach For America New York’s almost 6,000 corps members and alumni are among the countless educators, activists, parents, and community leaders who have pushed to raise the bar for educational excellence in our city.

Learn More in our Annual Report

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Schools to Learn From

Check out the TFA NY schools that have been honored with this designation.

About Schools to Learn From

A number of Teach For America New York partner schools have been selected for Teach For America's Schools to Learn From program for providing an excellent education to their students. These schools serve as "learning laboratories" on pedagogical best practices and vision for other educators across the nation. Past New York selected schools in the Schools to Learn From program include:

A group of New York high school students at graduation

Mott Haven Academy Charter School - Bronx, NY

Mott Haven Academy Charter School empowers children in a supportive educational environment that addresses and reduces the barriers to academic success through integration of family support services with a rigorous, college-preparatory academic program. The school's graduates will be resilient, resourceful, independent scholars who have the skills necessary to reach their full potential and to build a better future.

School Leader: Jessica Nauiokas (D.C. Region '97)

Bronx Lighthouse Academy - Bronx, NY

Bronx Lighthouse College Prep Academy, now Pharos Academies, began with a promise to scholars and families in NYC School District 12 and the larger Bronx community to remove all barriers and stop at nothing until all scholars are prepared for college, career, and life. That promise continues to drive Bronx Lighthouse College Prep Academy today.

School Leader: Alix Duggins (Mississippi Delta '10)

Tamara Fleming - Bronx Lighthouse Academy

KIPP Infinity Middle School - New York, NY

KIPP Infinity Middle School strives to create a holistic and joyful educational experience through rigorous academics, meaningful character development, eye-opening extracurricular and outside opportunities, and deep, authentic relationships with every single little KIPPsters in the building.

School Leader: Allison Willis Holley (New York City '04)

Addressing NY Student Needs

TFA NY focuses its presence in low-income schools, hard-to-staff subjects, and neighborhoods where the need is greatest. We deliver data-driven, culturally responsive programming that provides corps members with the skills they need to understand community context and immediately impact student success. Together, they are meeting critical needs in NYC:

Corps members teach in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, or Queens at one of more than 100 partner schools. Partner schools include a mix of district and charter schools, as well as community-based organizations.
Close to 50% of corps members, including all pre-K teachers, are dual certified in special education. The number of students with disabilities in NYC is larger than the entire population of most school districts around the country.
35% of corps members teach science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
8% of corps members teach our youngest learners in the community-based organizations that make it possible for NYC to provide universal full day pre-K.

Department of Education's Showcase Schools

In the past five years, 6 alumni-led schools in New York City were recognized by the Department of Education’s Showcase Schools program, with two out of the six being selected as Showcase Schools over multiple years of the program.

The Highbridge Green School

The Highbridge Green School is a community school that cares for each students’ academic, emotional, and physical well-being. By providing students with a strong academic foundation, relevant learning experiences, and a safe and loving environment, The Highbridge Green School will empower them to have and make successful choices in high school, college, careers, and beyond.

School Leader: Kyle Brillante (New York '07)

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School of the Future

School of the Future is a small, innovative public sixth through twelfth grade school within District Two. We are located in the Gramercy Park neighborhood at Twenty-Second Street and Lexington Avenue. School of the Future is recognized for its academically rigorous environment with a student population of seven hundred ranging from sixth through twelfth grade and a staff of forty teachers. Both the staff and the student population of School of the Future reflect the diversity of New York City.

School Leader: Stacy Goldstein (Bay Area '97)

Lead Today, Change Tomorrow

English teacher Iliana Mendez (N.Y. ’19) reminds us of the lifelong impact great teachers have on their students, both inside and outside of schools.

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Questions about Teach For America New York?

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“I chose TFA NY because diversity is the most valuable aspect of culture to me and New York embodies that in its core. As a former student of the education system here, it is a personal duty of mine to support the students who are in the shoes that I once walked in.”

Randy Cornish

New York Corps Member 2019

Inspiring NYC’s Students to Be Leaders in STEM

Jericsson Pichardo (N.Y. ’16) has introduced students to a world of science and tech-based opportunities, from LEGO competitions to 3D printing. And that’s just the beginning.

Tia Morris

New York '98

Executive Director

Teach For America New York

Since starting her career here in NYC as a 1998 corps member, Tia has dedicated more than two decades to improving educational opportunities for young people. The former Executive Director for Teach For America New Jersey deeply believes in the potential of every student.

Our Team

Board Leadership

Support Our Marathon Team!

We are excited to announce that Teach For America has once again been named an official Charity Partner for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon.

Learn More

Support Our Work

Your gifts help our effort to find, support, and develop a network of leaders to ensure all students in New York City have the opportunity to attend great neighborhood schools.

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Dallas-Fort Worth

A community-wide effort is building to improve the present reality for students attending public school in Dallas-Fort Worth. By relentlessly pursuing what is best for kids, our corps members and alumni are working with local partners to blaze a trail for lasting change for all students in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Apply to Teach in Dallas-Fort Worth

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About Us Living and Teaching Here What and Where You'll Teach Local Leadership Connect on Social Media Support Our Work

About Us

Everything’s bigger in Texas—especially in education in Dallas-Fort Worth. Here, you have the opportunity to join one of the largest Teach For America regions in the nation and impact more than 90,000 students across 90 schools. You’ll also join a network of 1,400 Teach For America alumni who advocate for children every day, from classrooms to boardrooms.

We're in this together to create progress for students. Join the 150+ corps members in Dallas-Fort Worth making a difference.

Since 2009, Teach For America has worked in the Dallas region as part of a local movement committed to bringing change for kids. In 2011, the region expanded to include communities in Fort Worth. The Metroplex is considered modern, diverse, and thriving. Yet, among large urban areas, Dallas ranks fourth in the nation for child poverty. Today, only one in three third grade students in Dallas-Fort Worth reads at a level on track for college and only 14 percent of students in Dallas County graduate ready to succeed in college. Clearly, it will take the collective and sustained efforts of many to move the needle for children in the area.

With cities known for innovation, this region offers many paths to make an impact. Whether you decide to follow in the footsteps of Jayda Batchelder (Dallas-Fort Worth Corps ‘09), whose education startup landed her in Dallas Business Journal’s “40 under 40,” or choose to make your impact in education policy, like Miguel Solis (Dallas-Fort Worth Corps ’09), who became the Dallas Independent School Board’s youngest president, or guide schools in administrator roles, like the 150 alumni school leaders across the region, our alumni are shaping the future of education here in north Texas.

More than

150

corps members are teaching in Dallas-Fort Worth this school year.

Approximately

1400

alumni changemakers are taking on leadership at all levels in Dallas-Fort Worth.

More than

90K

students across 90 schools impacted every day.

Get to Know Us

Changemakers Wanted.

Check your eligibility to join the Dallas corps today.

Check Eligibility

“I chose Dallas-Fort Worth because of the opportunities for growth the city offers its teachers. I am so thankful to have systems of support through Teach For America, my school, and my district. Not only have my leadership skills developed in the classroom through practice and experience, but also I have had several opportunities to lead in my school—even as a second-year teacher.”

Kayla Boyer

Dallas-Fort Worth Corps Member 2016

Living and Teaching Here

Regardless of where you work, you will find that the Texas cliché of southern hospitality rings true. Dallas and Fort Worth warmly welcome anyone who is willing to put in the effort to improve the lives of the next generation. We are proud and fortunate to receive support from our community’s leadership—from mayors and superintendents to principals and parents. Together, we are working together to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed.

Both Dallas and Fort Worth offer big city lifestyle with the cost of a smaller market. Your experience as a corps member will combine the best of both worlds. After school, you can find your friends lesson planning at popular spots like the the Wild Detectives in Dallas or Avoca Coffee in Fort Worth. And on the weekends, spend your time experiencing a new favorite dinner spot in Deep Ellum or break a sweat running along White Rock Lake. Corps members live across the DFW Metroplex in affordable apartments or comfortable homes in neighborhoods like Bishop Arts, Uptown, Greenville, and West 7th. Dallas-Fort Worth is a place you can thrive.

A ferris wheel is lit up with the word Texas.

What and Where You'll Teach

Teach For America is proud to work with six primary district partners across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex:

Dallas ISD
Fort Worth ISD
IDEA Tarrant County
Uplift Education
KIPP DFW
Richardson ISD

Corps Members in DFW teach in the following areas:

Early childhood - sixth grade (EC-6): English language arts and reading (ELAR), math, science, social studies
- Most schools hire ELAR, math, or science teachers, with some elementary schools hiring “self-contained” teachers who teach one class covering all subjects.
Bilingual EC-6: Elementary bilingual teacher
- Must be proficient in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in Spanish
Core subjects 4-8, ELAR/social studies 4-8, or math/science 4-8: 4th to 8th grade teacher
- Mostly hired in middle school placements to teach ELAR, math, or science
ELAR, math, or science 7-12: 7th - 12th grade teacher
- May be hired in middle school or high school placements based on district needs
- You must have at least 24 credit hours on your college transcript for the subject or complete a qualifying Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) in order to qualify

Our current highest needs areas are in Bilingual EC-6, math 7-12, and science 7-12.

Get in Touch.

Questions about Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth?

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Bibi Yasmin Katsev

Executive Director

Teach For America - Dallas-Fort Worth

With nearly a decade serving in the education policy and non-profit sector, Bibi Yasmin Katsev brings her bold vision and passion for education to her role as Executive Director of Teach For America Dallas Fort Worth.

Meet Our Board

“Although I didn't know at the time of my application, Dallas-Fort Worth was the perfect place to kick-start my work toward One Day. The scope and breadth of education initiatives across both Dallas and Tarrant County have attracted individuals from all backgrounds and walks of life to support efforts aligned to TFA's mission. I've been excited by the Metroplex's diverse and robust community of advocates since moving to Dallas in 2013.”

Whitney Holman

Dallas-Fort Worth Corps Member 2013

Support Our Work

Your generosity helps create a future in which all children in Dallas and Fort Worth can learn, lead, and thrive.

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Indianapolis

There's a climate of innovation that’s gaining momentum across Indianapolis schools and districts. And it's opening up new opportunities for kids.

Apply to Teach in Indianapolis

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About Us Living and Teaching Here Our Community Vision Meet Our Team & Advisory Board Connect on Social Media Support Our Work

About Us

Over the last decade, Indianapolis (affectionately known as "Indy") has risen as a national leader on the front lines of innovation in P-12 education. More than any other urban city in the country, you'll find schools, communities, nonprofits, government entities, companies, and foundations working together towards a common mission of excellent educational opportunities for our kids.

Collective action to ensure every child can access the education they deserve is not only a result of the city's relational culture—but a moral imperative. By the time Indianapolis students are 10 years old, they are grade levels behind their more affluent suburban peers. Alarmingly, the ELA proficiency rates for students attending public schools with in the geographic boundary of Indianapolis Public Schools is 20 percentage points lower than the state average. Meanwhile, Black students were nearly 30 percentage points lower than their white counterparts.

Fortunately, a movement for change is gaining momentum in the Circle City. And, as is true in any successful endeavor, wherever you see strong results, you find coalitions of breakthrough leaders driving the effort. Teach For America has come to play an essential role as a primary source of leaders who expand opportunity for children from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that shapes the broader systems in which schools operate.

Living and Teaching Here

Indianapolis is in the midst of an exciting citywide revitalization throughout its numerous entertainment venues, festivals, parks, restaurants, and sporting arenas. Downtown Indianapolis is home to Canal Walk, with its beautiful scenery and close proximity to some of the city’s most popular cultural institutions. Art enthusiasts will appreciate Massachusetts Avenue, also known as "Indy's answer to SoHo," and Broadripple. Both have a wide array of art galleries, theaters, unique eateries and nightlife.

Corps members teach in more than 50 different public district, innovation, and charter schools throughout the city. Whether teaching across the hall or participating in the numerous social and advocacy events Indy has to offer, the close-knit Teach For America community is thriving on collaboration and connection here in the city.

Explore Our Neighborhoods

Skyline of Indianapolis at dusk, with people having a picnic on a grassy hill over the city.

“Being a transplant, Indianapolis has been such an incredible city to live and work in. It truly is a large city with a small town feel and you can tell that there is care and commitment with moving the city forward.”

Nathalie Howard

Teach For America Indianapolis Alum

2019

Join Us

Check your eligibility to join the Indianapolis corps today.

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Our Community Vision

Through an empowering education, we envision the day when all Indianapolis children lead lives of their choosing and collectively contribute to a more vibrant and just city.

We are making progress towards that day in Indy. Today, Indiana is among a group of national leaders in educational outcomes, the city of Indianapolis is catching up with the state, and more kids from low-income backgrounds have access to educational and life opportunity than ever before.

Yet, we have a long way to go to reach the excellent outcomes all students and families in our community deserve. As we transition to looking forward towards the next 20 years, the progress we make for our kids and our community must be accelerated. We believe deeply in what we have seen so far and know that the progress moving forward must be deeply rooted in critical hope.

Community Conditions

There are multiple systemic conditions that need to be satisfied over time to reach this community vision, including but not limited to the following:

Every school must be excellent.
A network of services that meet basic human needs must be available to all kids.
Expanded post-secondary, employment, and capital opportunity must be accessible to children of all backgrounds.
Our policy environment must be responsive to the needs of our most vulnerable children, and translate insights from proof points of possibility and scale them into broader practice.

Tenika Holden-Flynn

Executive Director, Teach For America Indianapolis

With nearly 20 years of experience in education, Dr. Tenika Holden-Flynn has dedicated her career to serving students in elementary, middle, and high school in traditional public and public charter schools in Indianapolis and across the country.

Meet Our Team & Advisory Board Members

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Questions about Teach For America Indianapolis?

Send us a Note

Support Our Work

Your generosity helps create a future in which all of Indianapolis's children can learn, lead, and thrive.

Donate

Houston

We've been in Houston since 1991, and our network is leading some of the most innovative education initiatives in the country.

Apply to Teach in Houston

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About Us Living Here Teaching Here Financial Incentives Local Leadership Upcoming Events Connect on Social Media Support Our Work

About Us

For the last thirty years, Teach For America has been a pacesetter for education reform in the city of Houston. The same entrepreneurial spirit that made Houston the world's energy capital has propelled efforts in education and we've been a big part of it. Thousands of corps members have taught in Houston’s lowest-income schools, reaching nearly 200,000 students collectively and becoming some of the city's most prominent education leaders. Together we are building a coalition of teachers and community leaders that will continue to transform the educational landscape.

Houston has a storied history of innovation in education. Since 1991, Teach For America Houston—in partnership with school districts, families, and students—has been at the vanguard of innovation in improving educational outcomes for kids. Some alumni have played leadership roles in Houston Independent School District (HISD) as school board members, principals, and district leaders, while others have founded organizations designed to support lower-income families with college readiness, career pathways, community infrastructure, and more. The combined efforts of students, parents, corps members, alumni, and community leaders have resulted in elevating conversations around school choice that have impacted programs and policy not only in Houston, but across the nation.

Houston has a storied history of innovation in education. During the 1990s, KIPP and YES Prep charter school networks were founded here by Houston alumni and corps members began working in their classrooms soon after. Both KIPP and YES Prep have alumni working across campuses at all levels. Our partnership with Houston ISD, the seventh-largest school district in the nation, began in 1991 and our relationship continues to expand as our alumni and corps members work with the district on its goal of creating a college-bound culture in its schools.In 2009, Teach For America Houston began working with BakerRipley, first at their Headstart campuses and later at alumni-led Promise Community Schools. BakerRipley provides wraparound services, including financial support and job and career development in order to support the whole student and their community. Teach For America Houston began its partnership with Aldine ISD, one of the largest districts in Texas, in 2019. The same year, Aldine ISD moved from a C-rated to a B-rated district with the Texas Education Agency and TFA corps members and alumni continue to work across the district in partnership with its goal that all students will receive an unparalleled education that grants them access to choices in their future.

Today, corps members are a part of the fabric of this city. They find themselves in the company of like-minded educational leaders who share a passion for making things better for all kids. The city is currently home to over 1,700 Teach For America alumni, many of whom are still in the field of education—teaching, serving as principals, administrators, or school and district leaders. These school and district leaders—along with a cadre of alumni in other sectors and several nonprofit organizations—are pushing Houston to live out its promise to transform outcomes for students.

More than

200

corps members are teaching in Houston this year.

More than

200K

Houston students taught over the last 30 years.

More than

1700

alumni live and work in Houston.

Get to Know Us

Changemakers Wanted

Check your eligibility to join the Houston corps today.

Check Eligibility

Living Here

When many people think of Texas, they imagine cowboys riding the range through a desert of tumbleweeds. While we're incredibly proud of our rodeo (it's the world's largest, after all), Houston has so much more to offer. The eclectic and vibrant culture is evidenced in thousands of restaurants, hundreds of arts venues, and more parks and green space than any other major U.S. city.

A view of the Houston skyline with picnicers on a grassy hill in the foreground.

Teaching Here

The education reform landscape in Houston today is more mature than in most other cities. We are home to one of the largest school districts in the country and our alumni assume roles such as consultants and lawyers at first big and small, a federal district court judge, and chief officer of major projects, as well as becoming school support officers, principals, and teachers. Additionally, alumni-led high performing charter networks are consistently putting close to 50 percent of their kids into and through college. Though the individual impact of each our alumni is nothing to scoff at, we are continuing our work to inspire and support all of our alumni to expand their impact and work in collaboration with others inside and outside of the Teach For America community.

Financial Incentives

Free gym membership for all corps members

Certification Reimbursement

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Questions about Teach For America Houston?

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Tiffany Cuellar Needham

Houston '03

Executive Director

Teach For America Houston

Tiffany Cuellar Needham is the executive director of Teach For America’s Houston region. She is a 2003 Houston alumna who began her career in education as a fifth grade teacher at Coop Elementary School in Houston ISD.

Meet Our Board

Upcoming Events

Check back for future events!

Support Our Work

Your generosity helps create a future in which all of Houston's children can learn, lead, and thrive.

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Kansas City

What we do isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes grit. We fight for every math problem solved, every diploma earned, and every opportunity created. It is hard. Frustrating. Demanding. But we’ve never stopped. We rally with our kids. We swing for our schools. We dig deep for our communities. We lock arms and we lead. Because we aren’t done until every single student has a chance at the life they want.

Apply to Teach in Kansas City

On This Page

About Us What You'll Teach Our Programs Living Here Our Alums Our Team Connect on Social Media Support Our Work

Changemakers Come to Kansas City

In 2008, Teach For America came to Kansas City on a mission to build a network of leaders who would fiercely champion, advocate, and teach our youth. Along the way, we were met with heart! And a whole lot of it.

We locked arms with Kansas City and rallied year after year. Thanks to our loyal community of partners, funders, and advocates, we're celebrating 14 years strong in Kansas City.

Today, Teach For America Kansas City is investing deeply in the professionalization of teaching, addressing how to consistently infuse new talent into our region while also addressing long term retention. Next year, we expect to be actively supporting more than 250 educators, and that could include you!

A teacher sits across a table from students. The classroom wall is bright blue.

More than

800

corps members have taught in our region since 2008.

More than

150K

Kansas City students impact since 2008.

Nearly

400

TFA alumni live and work in our region.

“The future of the Kansas City Public Schools is going to be the biggest story… The story of this year, next year, and long after is how strong our schools are, included in that are our charter school network, and making sure that Kansas Citians have true opportunities.”

Quinton Lucas

Mayor, Kansas City

Changemakers Wanted.

Check your eligibility to join the Kansas City corps today.

Check Eligibility

Our Programs

The TFAKCFamily is vast! Our region's programs work together to make an impact on the Kansas City educational landscape. The work is hard, but in KC you don’t do the work alone!

The Corps

Our corps members are reflective and authentic classroom leaders, who work in partnership with students and families to deliver rigorous and data-informed content and to create joyful learning environments where all students belong. Together, we will seek to build more excellent education systems through bold leadership and a deep understanding of self in relation to others.

Apply to the Corps

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Accelerate & Early Childhood Accelerate

Started in 2019, Accelerate is a program designed to provide structured development and support to teachers and their mentors, along with close partnership and alignment with school leaders. Participants engage with Accelerate programming over a two-year period, receiving direct classroom observation, individualized coaching support, and collective learning in group development. Accelerate was founded upon the belief that pairing individual coaching and collective learning leads to strong participant development, powerful learning, and a committed community.

The Early Childhood Accelerate program partners with the Kansas City Pre-K Cooperative to provide support to certified Pre-K teachers in 6 different centers across the city. This support includes classroom observations, 1:1 coaching, center based group coaching, and whole group professional development.

Living in KC - The Best of the Midwest!

There are over 240 neighborhoods in the metropolitan area of Kansas City. Every neighborhood has unique features that make it stand apart from others-- it’s up to you to find the one that’s right for you! Kansas City is a rapidly growing city. As such, there are many different housing options, locations, and prices available. While apartment complexes are the easiest to search/tour/inquire about online there are also many rooms, duplexes, and single family homes for rent. Consider the type of area you’d like to live in, the commute you’re willing to make, and a price point that feels financially feasible for you.

Explore Kansas City

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Work Hard. Play Hard. Learning Always.

We call ourselves the TFAKC Family because that's how we orient to support. The work is hard and it requires a strong ecosystem of support to persevere. As a member of the TFAKC Family we push each other, collaborate with one another, and celebrate together. Whether it's at a professional development, a TFAKC happy hour, or in our classrooms we always have each other’s backs.

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Get in Touch.

Questions about Teach For America Kansas City?

Send Us a Note

Meet Our Alums

Kayla McClellan, Kansas City 2018 Corps

While Kayla was working toward her master’s degree at Mississippi State University, she became interested in the K-12 education system and its role in preparing students for higher education. Committed to bringing the skills she learned in graduate school back home to KC, Kayla joined the Kansas City corps in 2018 as a history teacher.

In 2022, Kayla won the Kansas City Public School’s Teacher of the Year award and then also went on to win the Missouri Regional Teacher of the Year.

Learn More

Kellee Ransom, Kansas City 2008 Corps Member

Spend five minutes with Kellee Ransom, and you will leave feeling more hopeful. The 2022 Charter School Elementary Teacher of the Year has become a household name at University Academy. Ask her students, and they will tell you she is a part of their family. Kellee is not only an exceptional educator in the classroom, she is constantly seeking ways to expand her impact by providing support for families as a listener, cheerleader, and mentor. Kellee has a passion for community and has always held the job of teaching in such high regard because she knows that every child deserves the highest quality of care of encouragement every day. Her experience is only surpassed, perhaps by her compassion and deep joy for this work.

Andrew Killen, Kansas City 2009 Corps Member

During the 2022-2023 school year, Andrew Killen started his 14th first day of school as a teacher at his placement school. Mr. Killen was a first year corps member at East High School in 2009, when the building reopened in Kansas City Public Schools. Since then he has been the state-tested Algebra 1 teacher, department chair, sponsored the EHS bike club, and revitalized the agriculture program at the school. Students in Mr. Killen’s agriculture classes care for animals, learn aquaponics, tend to garden beds, and have a full orchard to maintain.

A man stands outside wearing a blue shirt that says EAST

Lauren Arthur, Kansas City 2010 Corps

Lauren joined Teach For America in 2010 and taught English Language Arts at Urban Community Leadership Academy. Today, Lauren is currently serving her second term as a State Senator for District 17. As a state legislator, Lauren advocates for a number of policy issues, including funding for early literacy programs.

Learn More

Julie Gronquist

Executive Director

Julie has been a member of the Teach for America Kansas City family since 2010 and is the region’s Executive Director. She attended Bemidji State University where she majored in Early Childhood Education and Political Science. Upon graduation she worked as an advocate for early childhood education and taught special education in the South Bronx. Following the completion of her Masters in Teaching from Pace University, Julie worked as a special education coordinator at Achievement First Bushwick Elementary, where she piloted a special education model that is widely used within the network today. In addition to her work at TFA, Julie dedicated 10 years of service to the KIPP KC Board of directors, ultimately serving as Board President, and is a foster parent. Contact: julie.gronquist-blodgett@teachforamerica.org

Meet Our Team

Support Our Work

Your generosity helps create a future in which every single student in Kansas City has a chance at the life they want.

Donate

Rhode Island

In our nation's smallest state, Teach For America is part of a community working to create big opportunities for all Rhode Island students. Here, the "Rhode" to change starts with you.

Apply to Teach in Rhode Island

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About Us Teaching Here Community Supports Our Impact Our Alumni Local Leadership Support Our Work

About Us

Rhode Island is perhaps best known for its miles of coastline and centuries of history. As one of the oldest cities in the nation, Providence, Rhode Island’s capital, continues to function as a cultural hub of greater New England. Today, in addition to its sandy shores and autumn leaves, Rhode Island is renowned for its delicious cuisine, vibrant communities, and a culture of arts and innovation. Rhode Island is a small state, but it packs a big personality.

We are looking for leaders who are not afraid to tackle challenges that are steeped in nuance and tradition. Once the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, Rhode Island is now struggling to find its identity in the 21st century. The educational landscape has failed to adjust as jobs moved from manufacturing to the service industry, and as a high school diploma and college degree have become increasingly necessary to start a career. Today, educators are embracing innovative learning strategies, including the use of technology, to fully prepare students for careers in an ever-evolving future.

With currently one third of students in the Providence Public School District identifying as English Learners, we have a huge opportunity to educate the next generation of leaders in Rhode Island. However, current education results for English Learners remains disproportionately low. We need leaders who are committed to ensuring that all students in Rhode Island have access to a quality public education.

Since its founding in 2010, Teach For America Rhode Island has worked to empower both corps members and alumni to work towards the day when all students in our community have access to an excellent education. Informed and inspired by their students, many alumni choose to teach in high-need schools and communities beyond their two-year commitments. Others lead from sectors that shape the context and conditions in which schools operate—as school and district leaders, policy makers, founders of advocacy organizations, social entrepreneurs, and business, philanthropic, and civic leaders working to make change. Whether you choose to study policy at the Brown University Education Policy Program Program, or explore your leadership in other ways, as a Rhode Island corps member you will work alongside a community of leaders who are passionate about creating opportunities for Rhode Island’s students.

Teaching Here

With an area of just 1,214 square miles, Rhode Island is our nation's smallest state, but that means your impact can be large. As a corps member working in partnership with veteran teachers, community organizations, and local universities, you’ll be part of a powerful movement to expand educational opportunities. You'll experience firsthand that change is possible, and scalable, across the Ocean State.

As part of Teach For America Rhode Island you will be part of a community building upon almost a decade of partnerships with Providence and Central Falls public schools, as well as charter schools serving students from Providence, Central Falls, and Pawtucket. This year, more than 50 corps members and over 200 alumni are demonstrating what leadership looks like across the state. You’ll join teachers like Erlin Rogel, who, after graduating from Roger Williams University School of Law, returned to teach at Gilbert Stuart Middle School, the same school he attended while growing up in Rhode Island; Jenna Spencer, who worked with her students to launch the state’s first high school chapter of the NAACP; and Ammar Zia, who discovered, after moving across the country for his first year of teaching, that his students are partners and leaders in creating a more inclusive and equitable future for all of us.

The majority of corps members teach in Providence, which places you just an hour’s drive from Boston and three hours from New York City. In Providence you’ll find great, affordable housing, food, and entertainment options. From this vibrant city, you’ll find it easy to explore Rhode Island’s beaches and countryside, with 400 miles of coastline and more than 100 public and private beaches that offer a beautiful place for after-school reflection and activity.

Core Cities

The four urban centers include the majority of the state’s population. They are historic mill towns, which have been the economic center of the state since the birth of the American Industrial Revolution.

Providence

Known as the Creative Capital, Providence is often considered the state’s cultural, economic, and educational hub. From a lively arts and culture scene, to phenomenal restaurants, world-class college and universities, Providence is a place where you can always find something new and exciting. Come experience all that Providence has to offer.

Pawtucket

Pawtucket is a city with a special place in the industrial history of the United States. The city of Pawtucket today includes major residential areas, and convenient links to the other major metropolitan areas via Interstate 95.

Photo Credit: Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A view of a river, fall color trees, and historic buildings in Pawtucket, RI.

Central Falls

Central Falls has an area of 1.3 square miles and claims to be the nation’s smallest city. It is filled with rich culture and thriving small businesses.

Photo credit: John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

A stone high school building reads Central Falls High School engraved over the door.

Woonsocket

Woonsocket, Rhode Island is a vibrant, urban community that offers the right blend of exciting city life and cozy small town comfort.

Photo credit: Marcbela, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Brick buildings line a main street in Woonsocket, RI.

Changemakers Wanted

Check your eligibility to join the Rhode Island corps today.

Check Eligibility

Preparing Teachers to Meet the Right to Read Act Requirements

At Teach For America, Rhode Island (TFA-RI), we are committed to equipping our Corps Members (CMs) with the knowledge and skills necessary to deliver effective literacy instruction in alignment with the Right to Read Act (2019) and the guidance proposed by the Rhode Island Department of Education. Through a robust program of coursework and applied learning, TFA-RI ensures all CMs are prepared to meet the Act's requirements, particularly in the areas of Science of Reading and Structured Literacy instruction.

Foundational Knowledge in the Science of Reading

Emphasis on Structured Literacy

Applying Literacy Knowledge Across Contexts

Vision for Literacy Equity

To access the Rhode Island Department of Education Educator Preparation Index, please see here.

Get in Touch

Questions about Teach for America Rhode Island?

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Our Impact

Rhode Island is making significant strides toward closing its opportunity gap. Graduation rates in Rhode Island have been climbing steadily, and for the class of 2017, the graduation rate reached an all-time high of 84.1%. Results released by the College Board showed a record number of Rhode Island students taking AP exams, demonstrating that more and more students in the state are on a path to college and career readiness.

While there is still much to be done, Teach For America Rhode Island’s 294 alumni and corps alumni are among the countless educators, activists, parents, and community leaders who have pushed to raise the bar for educational excellence in Rhode Island since 2010. And we remain committed to expanding the number of educators who are working to make educational excellence a reality for every student in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island's Alumni Leaders

Teach For America Rhode Island’s 257 alumni are leading both inside and outside the classroom.

Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of Education

Angélica Infante-Green (New York '94) began her career as a bilingual classroom teacher in the South Bronx where she was a Teach For America corps member before moving to Community School District 6 in the heart of Washington Heights in 1995. Since leaving the classroom, Infante-Green has served in a variety of roles focused on improving instruction for all students, and particularly for students learning English. She served as the Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Instructional Support P-12, before transitioning to her current role as Rhode Island’s Commissioner of Education. Infante-Green is the first Latina and the first woman of color to lead the Rhode Island Department of Education.

Julia Rafal-Baer, COO, Chiefs for Change

Julia Rafal-Baer, Ph.D (New York '94) joined Teach For America in 2004, where she began her career as a special education teacher in the Bronx. Julia went on to become Assistant Commissioner of the New York State Education Department where she was responsible for the strategy, management, and implementation of teacher and leader initiatives under the state’s Race to the Top grant, Teacher Incentive Fund grant, and other state-wide initiatives. Today, Julia lives in Rhode Island and serves as Chief Operating Officer of Chiefs for Change, a nonprofit network of bipartisan state and city education leaders.

Stephanie Downey-Toledo, Interim Superintendent, Central Falls School District

Stephanie Downey Toledo (Los Angeles '03) joined Teach For America in 2003, where she taught in Los Angeles. During her time in the corps, Stephanie was selected as a Sue Lehman Regional Finalist. Before coming to Rhode Island, Stephanie served as the Deputy Chief Operating Officer for the Division of Students with Disabilities & English Language Leaders at the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE). Stephanie currently serves as the Interim Superintendent of Central Falls School District in Rhode Island.

Approximately

85%

of our alumni work in roles impacting low-income communities.

8.4% or

of our total alumni work as education nonprofit leaders.

14% or

of our total alumni are school or school system leaders.

Michael Broschart

Rhode Island '11

Executive Director

TFA Rhode Island

Michael began his career as a Teach For America Rhode Island corps member and teacher in Providence Public Schools. The passion, creativity, and tenacity of those working for change in the smallest but mightiest state continue to inspire him. He is committed to working with and for others to drive lasting change so that all kids can access an excellent education.

Meet our Full Team and Board

Support Our Work

Our champions and friends are the ones to see us through steep challenges, and keep us focused on the great possibilities ahead. As a champion, you are helping a network of Teach For America corps members and alumni to educate more than 8,900 students every day. Thank you for seeing the possibilities and for choosing to invest in Rhode Island’s future.

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