NEW YORK– September 13, 2021 – Summer school isn’t just for students. In response to the especially challenging 2020 – 2021 school year, Teach For America New York (TFA NY) used the season to prepare a new generation of educators, its 2021 corps members, to enter classrooms this fall. The traditional Teach For America six-week summer experience was transformed into a nationwide intensive, multi-month pre-service training program coupled with NYC-based teaching experiences. The enhanced program, which began on June 2, prepared corps members for teaching post-pandemic as anti-racist educators who can lead rigorous classrooms and support students’ wellbeing.

As families continue to grapple with the pandemic’s impact on students’ lives and learning, more than 2,000 TFA corps members are being trained nationally in several key areas related to learning recovery, including emphasizing student literacy, hybrid teaching practices, wellness principles, and the impacts of systemic racism on education. After their national training and through July 28, TFA NY corps members will immerse themselves in trauma-informed training and the specifics of the New York City education system, learning more about the local community through a unique regional practicum and in-person, summer school teaching experience.

“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the disproportionately harmful effects of inequity in our classrooms.  It was clear that we needed to adjust our teacher training to meet the shifting needs of New York City’s teachers, students, and schools,” said Tia Morris, executive director, Teach For America New York. “School doors are opening, and it’s my honor to welcome our new TFA NY corps members to step through them as culturally responsive leaders who work in partnership with their communities to give all kids the excellent education they deserve.”

This fall, each TFA NY corps member will begin teaching as a full time staff member at one of more than 140 partner schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. New York corps members serve in district schools, community-based organizations, and charter schools. After a one-year pause due to the pandemic, TFA NY will also resume working with the Department of Education to place corps members in schools this fall.

For more than 30 years, TFA NY has played a leading role in New York City's movement for educational equity. The organization recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding leaders who make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in shaping educational access and opportunity for all. As one of the largest and most diverse sources of new teachers and leaders for low-income communities in the country, Teach For America has introduced thousands of promising leaders to New York City schools since 1990. To learn more about Teach For America New York, including its programming, network, and the communities it serves, please read the 2020 Annual Report.

About Teach For America

Teach For America works in partnership with 350 urban and rural communities across the country to expand educational opportunities for children. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding leaders who make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to end educational inequity. Today, Teach For America is a force of over 64,000 alumni and corps members working in over 9,000 schools nationwide in pursuit of profound systemic change. From classrooms to districts to state houses across America, they are reimagining education to realize the day when every child has an equal opportunity to learn, lead, thrive, and co-create a future filled with possibility. Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.