At Teach For America, we find outstanding leaders who are passionate about making an meaningful impact to expand opportunity for all children. In the corps, you take on a paid, full-time teaching role for two years in an under-resourced school where you’ll build trust with families, learn how to solve problems on the spot, and help students succeed. Similarly, City Year is also committed to improving outcomes for students in under-resourced schools.

If you are a City Year corps member or alumni, you are uniquely positioned to thrive as an educator with Teach For America. You know what it’s like to work in a school in a low-income community and what support is needed outside of the classroom for your students to succeed. Your on-the-ground experience is invaluable.

While both organizations are working toward the same outcome, there are important differences between their approaches: TFA corps members are full-time classroom teachers, while City Year members support students as tutors through mentorship. Both roles are critical.

Similar to City Year, TFA has over 40 regions where you can be placed, many of which overlap with the communities that City Year corps members also work. Depending on qualifications and regional need, many City Year alumni have the opportunity to stay in their communities and schools when they begin TFA.

As you consider what your leadership after City Year could look like, Teach For America may be your natural next career move. We spoke to two Teach For America corps members who joined after one year of service at City Year.

The Pathway to Becoming a Career Counselor

Nia Flanagan got her her start in education when she made the decision to join City Year. She knew she wanted to be part of the education system, but wasn’t sure to what extent. As a student success coach in Columbia, South Carolina, she was able to get hands-on experience in the classroom focusing on mentorship, tutoring, and community building. She learned to build relationships with students and utilize data to advocate for their growth.

Nia’s City Year experience gave her the confidence to pursue her next venture, being a teacher in the 2019 Memphis corps. In determining her path forward, she chose Teach For America to help her learn how to lead a classroom. Nia knew she wanted to grow as an educator and TFA helped her do that through pre-service training, classroom management coaching, and professional development opportunities. As a high school special education teacher in Memphis, she saw a need to help her students' explore how their interests could lead to a promising career after high school and college. Nia's time in the classroom inspired the next step in her career, becoming a career counselor. 

As a career counselor, she is excited to meet students where they are in the career exploration process. She wants to open her students' eyes to new possibilities and help them grow as they work to achieve their dreams.

Nia’s experiences as a City Year and TFA corps member created opportunities to deepen her understanding of the complexities of the education system. “It shaped me into an effective leader and advocate for positive changes in education and beyond,” says Nia. “Both programs offered a unique combination of hands-on experience, training, and a commitment to social impact.” She shared that the transition from being the classroom support to the lead teacher can feel overwhelming. She advises future TFA corps members to, “Take advantage of the resources Teach For America offers you during pre-service and utilize your leadership coach.” 

Like City Year, Teach For America is committed to helping corps members grow as leaders, no matter the career pathway they choose.

Extend Your Impact

If you're considering leadership after City Year, join Teach For America to continue deepening your skills and your impact.

Building Relationships and Making a Difference

James Caruso, a City Year alum who joined TFA, now leads his own dual-language (Spanish and English) kindergarten and 1st grade classes in the same school where he served in Washington D.C., as a City Year AmeriCorps member.

James had mentors of his own during his time with City Year. They helped him hone his abilities as a teacher. “City Year allowed me to learn about the day-to-day operations of a school from a third-party perspective—not as a teacher or student, but rather a support,” James says. “Having this knowledge coming into Teach For America allowed me to work on bettering my teaching and making sure that every day for my students was better than the last.”

James considered applying to Teach For America directly out of his undergraduate program, but did not yet feel prepared to lead a classroom on his own. His time as a City Year corps member gave him the opportunity to understand the school system and how to best support students before leading his own class as a TFA corps member.

“I knew that I wanted to be a lead teacher in a classroom setting, something that I found out quickly over my first few months with City Year,” he said.

Creating a Strong Foundation for a Career in Teaching

As both Nia and James shared, serving as a City Year corps member has provided a valuable, unique perspective as they deepen their impact through Teach For America.

If you’re passionate about continuing to make meaningful change after City Year, we encourage you to learn more about the Teach For America application process. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a bachelors degree to apply for TFA?

Yes. If you’re still pursuing your college degree, you can also apply to our Ignite tutoring program.

How does the partnership between City Year and Teach For America benefit City Year applicants?

Anyone who has served with City Year previously, or currently, will automatically be invited to interview with Teach For America with proof of your service with City Year.

What are the career benefits of doing TFA?

​You'll lead a classroom, build a strong foundation of professional skills, and walk away with experiences that make you stand out—no matter where your career takes you next. As a corps member, you will gain skills in strategic planning, adapting quickly, strengthening your communication, delivering meaningful results, and leading with empathy.

What are Teach For America salary and benefits?

Corps members are full-time employees of, and paid by, our partner school districts and charter networks. First-year TFA teachers make between $32,000 and $72,000 per school year from their paycheck. In addition, Teach For America provides transitional financial support to help them start strong. Learn more about Teach For America salary and benefits.

How does TFA support me in the application and interview process?

Anyone with City Year experience is guaranteed a connection with a recruiter from TFA. Together, they can discuss questions, gain access to virtual events to support the application and interview process, and speak one on one about concerns as they arise.

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This story was originally published in 2023. The date at the top of this page reflects when it was most recently updated.

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