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Buffalo

Once a stop on the underground railroad and one of the first cities to integrate schools, Buffalo holds its history close while looking to the future.
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About Us

About Us

Since 2014, Teach For America Buffalo has organized its network of leaders to expand educational opportunities for students. Our Corps Members and Alumni have set high expectations for students’ academic and lifelong success in three key areas: English as a second language, special education, and bilingual Spanish education.  Local alumni have set their sights high, becoming principals, district leaders, deepening their engagement with local nonprofits, and even founding charter schools - all moving to redefine what it means to get an excellent education in the Queen City. 

The city of Buffalo is experiencing a resurgence and it is essential that the students of Buffalo and their families are able to partake in it. We see improving the quality of K-12 public education to be one way to ensure our students are included in the future of Buffalo and have joined local leaders and organizations in achieving this goal. 

With nearly 120 alumni nationally and over 130 alumni in region who are committed to ensuring students in their classrooms and schools have the opportunity to learn, grow in their unique leadership potential, and access opportunities that mark the path of economic mobility, we have been able to touch the lives of thousands of students across Buffalo.

The Team of Teach For America Buffalo sitting together on a bench at a restaurant.

Our Community

Our Community

Join a community of passionate leaders who are creating opportunities for kids in Buffalo.

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In Buffalo our pride is strong, we are known as the city of good neighbors. Buffalo is home to a thriving innovation economy, however  half of all students in Buffalo come from a low-income background and are not receiving the same resources and opportunities as their more affluent peers. Of the nearly 33,000 low-income students growing up in Buffalo, 1 in 3 will not graduate high school, and only 9% will receive a bachelor’s degree by the age of 25. While the statistics seem daunting, we have seen evidence in classrooms, schools, and districts that when students in low-income communities are given the educational opportunities they deserve, they excel.

This is a unique moment for Buffalo. The community has never been more focused on the state of our public schools and the urgency to improve them. Parents and families are more engaged in the progress of our public school system than at any time in recent history.

Buffalo is home to a large immigrant population, stemming largely from the active resettlement of refugees from around the world. Many alumni who teach here have an opportunity to work with students who are English language learners.

Buffalo is a city with a small-town feel. Locals are welcoming and are excited about being surrounded by positive change and new construction. There has never been a more exciting time to explore the Queen City.

Street view of Elwood Village, a neighborhood in Buffalo.
  • Our Mission

    Teach For America Buffalo's mission is to inspire, develop, and mobilize leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity. Our alumni lead in every sector in education—as teachers, state public education chiefs, district and school leaders—and also take on inequity from outside education as well. Nearly 8 in 10 of our alumni are in education or working in low-income communities, working to advance the cause of excellence and equity. Our future focus is continuing to support our alumni in developing their leadership skills.

Get Involved

Get Involved

Whether you’re from Buffalo, interested in Buffalo, or just looking to learn more, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out to our regional staff!

Contact Info

Email: TeachForAmericaBuffalo@teachforamerica.org

Media Inquiries

Please contact us at press.center@teachforamerica.org.

Kindergarteners playing an English learning game.

Support Our Work

Support our efforts to connect TFA alums to opportunities to expand their impact in Buffalo
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Local Leadership

Teach For America New Jersey Executive Director Tia Morris

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 considers herself a warrior for social justice, and began leading the New York region in June 2020.