Make an impact on students and schools by seeking a teaching job in the Nashville-Chattanooga region.
Are you searching for a teaching position in Nashville or Chattanooga?
Consider Teach For America (TFA), which offers a unique opportunity to make an impact in students’ lives and serve Tennessee’s community.
Teach For America’s Approach
TFA recruits outstanding leaders from all backgrounds and career sectors to become TFA “corps members.” That includes people who have previously taught, people transitioning to a career in education, and people who are just graduating from college.
Corps members commit to teaching for two years, in the districts and schools most impacted by educational inequity. Corps members are full, salaried employees of local public schools, confronting both the challenges and joys of expanding opportunities for kids. Many opt to continue teaching after their two-year TFA commitment ends. During their time with TFA, corps members develop into strong classroom leaders who go beyond traditional expectations to advance students’ academic and personal growth, while helping to strengthen schools.
In partnership with local universities such as Lipscomb University and Relay Graduate School of Education, nonprofit organizations, and Tennessee businesses, corps members receive initial training, ongoing professional development, and access to an unparalleled resource and support network.
Teach For America has 6,200 corps members in 50 regions, reaching more than 400,000 students in 2,500 schools.
While specific regional placement is not guaranteed, 80 percent of TFAs applicants are assigned to their most preferred location. We know that your personal location preferences are important. Read more below about our placement process.
Corps Member Eligibility
In order to be considered for a position with TFA, you must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 and U.S. citizenship, national/legal resident status, or be a DACA recipient. You are not required to have a background in education.
In addition to these eligibility requirements, we seek people who have a deep belief in the potential of every child, a strong record of achievement, and perseverance in the face of challenges, among other key values and experiences. Read more about the characteristics of strong corps members.
Redefine Your Career
Learn more about teaching in the Nashville-Chattanooga region, and apply to teach as part of the Teach For America corps today.
Working in TFA’s Nashville-Chattanooga Region
As a corps member, you will be required to complete steps to become highly qualified in the subject(s) you’ll teach and work toward full teaching certification during your two-year commitment. Learn more about earning your teaching license and getting hired at a school.
Salary and Benefits
You’ll receive a salary and benefits from the school district, charter school, or pre-K center where you work. You’ll be paid the same as other beginning teachers working for the same employer. Average starting salary is $43,000 for new teachers in Nashville and Chattanooga.
As a full-time TFA teacher, you are entitled to medical benefits through your school or district. Plans and costs vary, depending on where you teach. Read more on salary and benefits as a corps member, plus take a look at details on the cost of living in Nashville and Chattanooga.
You may also be eligible for additional financial incentives exclusively available to TFA corps members. Learn more about financial aid, including transitional funding packages.
Master’s Degree Option
Corps members have the option to earn a Master’s Degree in Education from Lipscomb University or a Master’s of Arts in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education.
If you do choose to pursue your master’s, be aware that corps members typically use their AmeriCorps Education Awards and partial tuition reimbursement benefits from their district. Learn more about certification and training in Nashville-Chattanooga.
After Two Years
After your two-year commitment with TFA, you may choose to stay in the classroom for additional years of teaching. Some TFA alumni go on to work in school leadership, and many others go on to impact educational equity from another sector.
We are dedicated to making sure you have the resources and support you need to lead and continue to work towards change, with a dedicated TFA Nashville-Chattanooga support staff. Learn more about life after the corps.
400+
Corps member & alumni teachers
90
Alumni school-based leaders
890+
Alumni in the area
90%
Alumni continuing to work in education or low-income communities
Teach For America’s Placement Process
TFA corps members teach in 50 regions. After applying and interviewing for TFA, you’ll have the opportunity to rank the regions where you prefer to teach.
Our placement process is designed to assign you to the region(s) you’re most interested in as best as possible, since we know that landing in a region that matches your priorities is important. A majority of applicants are placed in one of their top regional choices.
After applying, you must select and rank 10 TFA regions where you want to teach, one of which must be a region we’ve designated as “high priority.” Read more about our placement process.
Make an Impact in Nashville-Chattanooga
As a corps member in the Nashville-Chattanooga region, you’ll join a community of innovative educators who are passionate about creating opportunities for kids in Tennessee. TFA’s network in the region includes more than 1,000 people—this includes nearly 500 corps members and alumni teachers and 26 public school principals. TFA has a real presence in both of these cities: One in four Metro Nashville students is taught by a TFA teacher or attends a school where Teach For America alumni serve in a leadership capacity while in Chattanooga, Teach For America teachers represent 10 percent of the total teaching body in one of the highest needs schools in the district.
As a corps member, you’ll work to meaningfully expand opportunities for students, using your background and leadership skills to drive students to academic success and transform lives.
Find out more about what it’s like to be a part of this movement in the Nashville-Chattanooga region, and start your application to join the work today.
Apply Today
Make an impact on students. Apply to be a corps member with Teach For America today.