Shift the narrative around education within the Evergreen State. By teaching in Washington state, you’ll make an impact on students, schools, and the community.
Searching for the right teaching position in Washington for the school year?
Consider Teach For America (TFA), which welcomes candidates who have taught previous, are just graduating college, or are making the move from a different career. TFA offers you a one-of-a-kind opportunity to make an impact on students’ lives and serve the community within Washington state.
Teach For America’s Approach
Teach For America recruits outstanding leader from all background and career sectors to become “corps members.” These corps members commit to teaching for two years, where they are full, salaried employees of local public schools and confront both the challenges and joys of expanding opportunities for kids. Many choose to continue teaching after their two-year TFA commitment ends.
Corps members develop into strong classroom leaders who go beyond traditional expectations to advance students’ academic and personal growth, while helping to strengthen schools. They work in the districts and schools most impacted by educational inequity.
In partnership with local universities like the University of Washington, nonprofit organizations, and businesses around Washington, corps members receive initial training, ongoing professional development, and access to an unparalleled resource and support network.
TFA has more than 3,000 corps members, reaching nearly 250,000 students in more than 1,500 schools.
You'll be placed in your preferred region so long as there's space and you meet the local requirements. 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 either have U.S. citizenship, national/legal resident status, or be a DACA recipient or EAD holder. You are not required to have a background in education.
In addition to these eligibility requirements, we seek people 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 Washington, and apply to teach as part of the Teach For America corps today.
Working in Washington
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. Salaries for new teachers in Washington range between $57,000 and $62,000, but vary depending on the grade and subject level you teach.
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 about salary and benefits.
You may also be eligible for additional financial incentives available exclusively to TFA corps members. Learn more about financial aid, including transitional funding packages.
Master’s Degree Option
Teach For America Washington partners with University of Washington’s College of Education to offer our corps members a master’s degree in the field of education.
If you do not have a teaching license from another state, you will need to enroll in coursework through the University of Washington U-ACT Certification Program. The credits earned during this one-year program can be applied toward a master’s degree in teaching.
To finance tuition, corps members typically use their AmeriCorps Education Awards and partial tuition reimbursement benefits from their district. Learn more about certification and training in Washington.
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 Washington support staff. Learn more about life after the corps.
Our 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 Washington
Teach For America has been fighting for educational equity in Washington state since 2011. There are more than 1,000 alumni, with 300 teaching in the region and upwards of 30 serving in leadership positions, working as principals, assistant principals, administrators, or deans.
Corps members in the Washington region serve communities in the Greater Puget Sound and South Central Washington, working in traditional and charter schools that stretch from South Seattle to Tacoma. In this region, you may find yourself working in urban, rural, or suburban communities. As a TFA Washington teacher, you’ll use your background and leadership skills to drive students to academic success.
Learn more about TFA’s work in Washington, 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.