Teach For America corps members have a well-earned reputation of elevating school culture as well as a proven methodology in closing the achievement gap. We are thrilled that they have chosen to come to Jacksonville and believe their presence will be invaluable to our overall goals of education reform.
- Jeff Chartrand, Executive Director of the Chartrand Foundation
Teach For America • Jacksonville is playing a critical role in improving schools and communities. This year, a corps of more than 50 of the nation’s top recent college graduates is working in underserved schools across Jacksonville to ensure that students facing the challenges of poverty are given the educational opportunities they deserve. Our alumni are leaders in the classroom, in education more broadly, and across all sectors. Together, they are making educational equity a reality in Jacksonville. Learn about living and teaching in Jacksonville.
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Financial Sustainability | |
Regional Supporters | |
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Executive Director |
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In the 2008-09 school year, more than 50 corps members are reaching close to 4,000 students in Jacksonville. David Korn and Mary Marcous are two examples of the positive impact our corps members are having on academic achievement.
David Korn (Jacksonville Corps '08) |
Mary Marcous (Jacksonville Corps '08) |
Mary Marcous and David Korn were both drawn to Jacksonville to be part of the charter corps. “Laying the foundation for this movement’s mission in Florida is both exciting and inspiring,” says Mary. A graduate of Stetson University in Deland, Florida, Mary teaches kindergarten at George Washington Carver Elementary. As a native of Jacksonville, David Korn graduated from Princeton University and decided he wanted to return to his hometown to help the students in his community. He teaches seventh grade geography at Ribault Middle School. Corps members like Mary and David are currently working relentlessly in 14 schools throughout Jacksonville to ensure all students excel academically.
Principal Satisfaction
*"Teach For America 2007 National Principal Survey,” Policy Studies Associates, July 2007.
Impact on Student Achievement
A growing body of research shows that corps members have a positive impact on their students' achievement. Read more about our impact.
Student Profile
*Percentages vary depending on school district
Jacksonville: Corps Member Placement
| Assignment | % of Corps* |
|---|---|
| Pre-K, Kindergarten | 13% |
| Elementary School, Lower (1-2) | 19% |
| Elementary School, Upper (3-5) | 29% |
| Secondary Math | 10% |
| Secondary English | 10% |
| Secondary Math | 10% |
| Secondary Social Studies | 10% |
Characteristics of the 2008 Corps
| Corps Profile | Top alma maters by market share* |
|---|---|
| Average GPA: 3.6 | Spelman College: 16% |
| Average SAT: 1320 | Morehouse College, Williams College, Yale University: 11% |
| Held leadership roles on campus: 95% | Duke University, Georgetown University, University of Chicago, Wake Forest University, Wesleyan University: 10% |
| People of color: 29% | Amherst College, Harvard University, Haverford University, Notre Dame University, Princeton University, Rice University: 9% |
*Percentage of senior classes who applied to Teach For America
Fostering Alumni Leadership for Systemic Change
As the number of corps members grows, so does our alumni base. By 2015, we will have just over 200 Teach For America • Jacksonville alumni pursuing professional careers and impacting educational reform from every sector.
Erin Blazek (St. Louis Corps '02) |
A University of North Florida graduate, Erin Blazek was so inspired by her corps experience that she remained in the classroom. Four years later, she is still teaching at a Jacksonville middle school, where she also helps new teachers as a professional development coordinator. “Every time a student comes back to my room to give me a hug and tell me about a book,” Erin says, “I remember why I work such long, hard days. Few jobs are more rewarding.” Along with 66 percent of our alumni nationally who remain in education, Erin continues to grow Teach For America’s work in Jacksonville to ensure that all children have the educational opportunities they deserve.
Growing Our Impact: Funding Needs, 2008-2013
Each additional recruit is another dedicated teacher for children growing up in low-income communities in Jacksonville, and another talented leader with the insight and commitment necessary to sustain the reform efforts underway, which is critical to the ongoing vitality of our region.
| Year | Corps Size | Revenue Needs |
|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | Opening in Fall 08 | Opening in Fall 08 |
| 2008-09 | 55 | $1.3 million |
| 2009-10 | 95* | $2.3 million* |
| 2010-11 | 95* | $2.4 million* |
| 2011-12 | 95* | $2.5 million* |
| 2012-13 | 145* | $5.1 million* |
*projected |
We are grateful to have many supporters who generously contribute to our movement in Jacksonville, and we especially thank Steve Halverson, CEO of The Haskell Company, for chairing our regional advisory board.
The foundations, corporations and individuals listed below have made it possible for Teach For America to continue to recruit, select, train, and support teachers who are working to eliminate educational inequity in our city.
| Corporation, Foundation and Public Support
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We thank the Chartrand Foundation for their extraordinary support of our work:
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$1,000,000 and above |
| The Chartrand Foundation |
To support Teach For America • Jacksonville with a gift or to request additional information about our impact or finances, please contact:
Teach For America • Jacksonville
Crystal Jones, Executive Director
Ashley Wheeler, Operations Coordinator
The Ed Ball Building
214 North Hogan Street
Suite 134
Jacksonville, FL 32202
p 904-353-6517, f 904-354-1589
crystal.jones@teachforamerica.org
ashley.wheeler@teachforamerica.org
For press related inquiries regarding Teach For America • Jacksonville please contact:
Emily Del Pino
Regional Communications Director
Teach For America
315 W. 36th St, 6th floor
New York, NY 10018
212-279-2080 x.619 - office
917-202-4241 - cell phone
emily.delpino@teachforamerica.org
Crystal Jones is the founding executive director of Teach For America • Jacksonville. During the 2007-08 recruitment season, she served as a senior recruitment director for Florida and Georgia after increasing the number of accepted applicants from Florida State University, the University of Miami, and Clark Atlanta University by more than 100 percent (and on some campuses, by more than 200 percent). She joined Teach For America staff in 2005 as director of special projects for the Atlanta region. A 2003 Atlanta corps member, Crystal was nominated for the Sue Lehman Excellence in Teaching Award after leading her first graders to academic gains of 2.5 years on average. By the end of her second year, 90 percent of her students were reading on or above a third-grade level and none were reading below a second-grade level, though only a few had begun the year recognizing the letters of the alphabet. Crystal earned a B.A. from Clark Atlanta University.
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