Teach For America: Join Our Staff

Frequently Asked Questions

When do the eight Teach For America institutes begin, and how do you determine for which
institute an applicant is considered?
Why are some applicants transferred to different institute pools? Can I apply to a different institute from the one to which my region is assigned?
How many staff members do you plan to hire across all eight institutes?
What is the starting salary for staff members?
Does Teach For America pay for my travel to and from the institute?
What housing options are available for staff at institute?
What do I need to do in preparation for institute?
Can I be on institute staff and still apply for a full-time position with Teach For America?
I already applied for a full-time role at Teach For America. Do I need to complete a separate cover letter for the summer institute?
Can I be on institute staff if I have been accepted into the 2010 corps?
I’m an international student. Can I apply to work at the summer institute?
How do I apply for an institute staff position?
Can I apply for more than one institute position?
What if I have worked on institute staff in the past?
Why don’t you ask for recommendation letters?
Is there a staff waitlist?
Can first-year corps members apply to be CMAs?
What is the timeline for the application process?
What if I have additional questions regarding employment at the institutes?
Can I receive feedback on my interview ?

When do the eight Teach For America institutes begin, and how do you determine for which institute an applicant is considered?

Staff members are generally assigned to an institute pool based on the region in which they completed or are completing their corps member commitment. For example, if you taught in Baltimore in 2007, your application would be sent to the Philadelphia institute because that is the institute the Baltimore corps is attending this year. However, if a prospective staff member is unable to work at his/her assigned institute, we are open to transferring, and this should not prevent anyone from applying. Also, depending upon the number of applicants in each institute's pool, our corps size, and other factors, we may ask some applicants to work at an institute other than the one where they would ordinarily be assigned to work.

For operations coordinators only, since these applicants are unlikely to have been corps members, we consider applicant preferences and availability as well as institute need when determining assignment. You will be able to list your preferences and availability on the online application.

All staff members will need to arrive before the start of Week 0 (occurs during the week prior to when corps members arrive for institute) and depart after the end of the institute; however, the exact dates differ between institutes and positions. Generally, instructional staff members (school directors, corps member advisor coordinators, curriculum coordinators, curriculum specialists, literacy specialists, and corps member advisors) need to arrive one to three days before the start of Week 0 and depart two to four days after the end of the institute. Depending on the institute, school directors may be asked to arrive even slightly earlier or stay later to build their school site relationships. In general, operational staff members (operations directors, school operations manager coordinators, school operations managers, operations coordinators, directors of data management) need to arrive at least two to seven days before the start of Week 0 and depart four to seven days after the end of the institute.

Corps member institute dates and regional assignments

Institute	Dates	Regions Attending
Atlanta Institute	June 6 to July 10	Atlanta, Greater New Orleans, Hawaii, Memphis, and Nashville
Houston Institute	June 13 to July 17	Dallas, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami-Dade, and Rio Grande Valley
Mississippi Delta Institute	June 13 to July 17	Charlotte, Eastern North Carolina, Mississippi Delta, and South Louisiana
Phoenix Institute	June 13 to July 17	Denver, New Mexico, Phoenix, South Dakota, and Tulsa
Chicago Institute	June 20 to July 24	Chicago, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Twin Cities
Philadelphia Institute	June 27 to July 31	Baltimore, D.C. Region, and Mid-Atlantic
Los Angeles Institute	June 27 to July 31	Bay Area, Las Vegas Valley, and Los Angeles
New York City Institute	June 27 to July 31	Boston, Connecticut, New York City, and Newark

If you have a significant conflict with the dates of the institute that you are supposed to attend, you will have the opportunity to indicate that on your application. The institute leadership teams will decide on a case- by- case basis while reviewing applications whether to re-assign individuals with extenuating circumstances to another institute pool. Example of significant conflicts include, being the primary care-giver for an elderly, minor or sick family member, a conflict with end of school dates, etc. In addition, if there is significant overflow of applicants to a given institute, that institute may move applicants to another institute pool.

Why are some applicants transferred to different institute pools? Can I apply to a different institute from the one to which my region is assigned?

Applicants who have a conflict that precludes them from attending the institute they would be automatically assigned to may be considered for another applicant pool. For example, if you were in the Atlanta corps but have been teaching in New York for the past ten years, you would likely be able to transfer into the New York City institute pool. In your online application you will have the opportunity to indicate any potential conflicts with your assigned institute, including but not limited to the dates of your assigned institute. In addition, in the event that we have a dramatic overflow of applicants at one institute, we may move candidates to other institute pools, in the case that you are open to moving. The institute leadership team will make decisions on a case-by-case basis and will confirm with applicants who are granted an interview about which pool they are in.

How many staff members do you plan to hire across all eight institutes?

Corps Member Advisors	399
Corps Member Advisor Coordinator	8
Curriculum Coordinator	8
Curriculum Specialist	62
Directors of Data Management	8
Literacy Specialist	30
Operations Coordinators	130
Operations Directors	48
Resource Room Specialists	40
School Directors	69
School Operations Managers	69
School Operations Manager Coordinators	8

What is the starting salary for staff members?

Corps Member Advisors	$5,600
Corps Member Advisor Coordinator	$8,000
Curriculum Coordinator	$8,000
Curriculum Specialists	$6,500
Directors of Data Management	$5,400
Literacy Specialists	$6,500
Operations Coordinators	$2,500-$3,000
Operations Directors	$6,400
School Directors	$8,000
School Operations Managers	$3,700-$4,000
School Operations Manager Coordinators	$6,200

Does Teach For America pay for my travel to and from the institute?

The institute will cover travel costs to the institute up to a certain amount. More details about travel reimbursement will be available in the spring. Teach For America also covers shipping costs for instructional materials and computer supplies up to a certain amount. Details for shipping will be outlined during staff training in the spring.

What housing options are available for staff at institute?

All staff at the institute, with the exception of Resource Room Specialists, receive room and board. Staff housing options differ across the eight institutes, but all institutes provide dorm-style accommodations for all staff members throughout the course of the institute. We will work to accommodate the needs of staff members with families. We try to meet staff members’ housing preferences, but do ask that you remain flexible as university circumstances may change.

What do I need to do in preparation for the institute?

Most staff members need to attend several weekend conferences in the spring to prepare for the institute. Also, they will likely need to participate in several training conference calls with pre-work. This chart is for informational purposes only. For final position and/or institute specific requirements, please check with your institute management team. Please note that some conferences may be held outside of your institute's city. For example, the Los Angeles institute's leadership conference #2 and half staff conference will be held in San Francisco.

Conference	Attendees	Institute	Dates
Leadership Conference #1	Corps Member Advisor Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, & School Directors	All	Saturday, February 20- Sunday, February 21
Leadership Conference #2	Corps Member Advisor Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, & School Directors	Houston Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mississippi Delta, New York City, Philadelphia, & Phoenix	Saturday, March 13- Sunday, March 14 Saturday, March 20- Sunday, March 21
Operations Director Conference	Operations Directors & School Operations Manager Coordinator	All	Saturday, March 27- Sunday, March 28
All Staff Conference	Corps Member Advisors, Corps Member Advisor Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, Curriculum Specialsits, Literacy Specialists, Operations Directors, School Directors, School Operations Managers, & School Operations Manager Coordinators Varies by institute	Atlanta, Houston, Mississippi Delta, & Phoenix	Saturday, April 10- Sunday, April 11
		Philadelphia	Saturday, April 17- Sunday, April 18
		Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City	Saturday, April 24- Sunday, April 25
All Staff Conference #2 (NYC ONLY)	Corps Member Advisors, Corps Member Advisor Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, Curriculum Specialists, Literacy Specialists, Operations Directors, School Directors, School Operations Managers, & School Operations Manager Coordinators	New York City	Friday, May 28- Sunday, May 30
Half Staff Conference	Corps Member Advisor Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, Curriculum Specialists, Literacy Specialists, Operations Directors, School Directors, School Operations Manager Coordinators, and School Operations Manager* Varies by institute *Houston SOMs only	Atlanta, Houston, Mississippi Delta, & Phoenix	Saturday, May 1- Sunday, May 2
		Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, & Philadelphia	Saturday, May 15- Sunday, May 16
Instructional Staff Conference (Los Angeles ONLY)	Corps Member Advisors, Corps Member Advisor Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, Curriculum Specialists, Literacy Specialists, and School Directors	Los Angeles	Saturday, May 29- Monday, May 31
Week Zero	Corp Member Advisors, Corps Member Advisor Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, Curriculum Specialists, Literacy Specialists, Operations Coordinators, Operations Directors, School Directors, School Operations Managers, and School Operations Manager Coordinators	Atlanta**	Tuesday, June 1- Saturday, June 5
		Houston	Monday, June 7- Saturday, June 12
		Mississippi Delta	Monday, June 7- Saturday, June 12
		Phoenix	Monday, June 7- Saturday, June 12
		Chicago	Monday June 14- Friday, June 18
		Los Angeles	Friday, June 25- Sunday, June 27
		Philadelphia	Monday, June 22- Saturday, June 26
		New York City**	Wednesday, June 24- Saturday, June 26

*OPERATIONS DIRECTORS may be required to participate in the All Staff Conference from Friday to Sunday. Check with your institute management team for details.

** FOR Atlanta and NYC ONLY: Training commitments will vary by position. You will receive position specific information during your institute staff interview.

DISCLAIMER: Conference attendance is mandatory; however any applicant who has a conflict that may preclude them from attending a scheduled conference is still encouraged to apply. Scheduling conflicts do not have any bearing on hiring decisions, and exceptions may be made to accommodate staff members with extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the hiring manager. Please email institutestaff@teachforamerica.org with any questions or concerns.

Can I be on institute staff and still apply for a full-time position with Teach For America?

Yes, you can apply for both an institute staff position and a full-time position with Teach For America. Separate applications are required, and applicants will be considered separately for both positions. Should you be hired for both positions, the managing director of institute and your new manager can address the feasibility of taking both positions.

I already applied for a full-time role at Teach For America. Do I need to complete a separate cover letter for the summer institute?

We encourage applicants to submit all of the required application materials, including a separate cover letter if applicable, for each role that they apply to on staff. Therefore, yes, you should plan to submit a separate cover letter that is specific to the institute role for which you are applying, even if you have already completed a different cover letter for a full-time role.

Can I be on institute staff if I have been accepted into the 2010 corps?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to hold a position on institute staff if you are an incoming 2010 corps member. It is of critical importance that our incoming corps be able to focus on their professional development as educators and on student achievement during the institute. Additionally, institute staff positions require work hours during the same hours that the 2010 corps will be teaching and in sessions, so it is not logistically possible to do both at the same time.

I’m an international student. Can I apply to work at the summer institute?

In order to work at Teach For America’s summer institute, international applicants must have an appropriate work visa that will allow them to legally work in the United States. Since summer institute positions are for such a short tenure, Teach For America will not sponsor individuals for work visas for such roles. Effectively an international student can apply for an Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa through their university. The applicant is fully responsible for applying for and securing such a visa through their university and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. International candidates cannot work for us unless they already have an active F-1 visa, or until they have their OPT.

The only institute role which is typically appropriate for international students is the operations coordinator position. International candidates should know that the duration of an operations coordinator role is 2 months, whereas the OPT is a 12 month, non-renewable visa. If an applicant uses the OPT visa towards an institute role, they will not be able to use it later towards another role within or outside of Teach For America. The operations coordinator role is not a precursor to a full-time position.

How do I apply for an institute staff position?

Go to www.teachforamerica.org/careers/institute for detailed position descriptions and applications. All applications must be submitted online. Following the submission of your application, you will be contacted regarding whether you have been granted an interview.

If you are selected for an interview, you will be sent materials to prepare. While we would like to be able to conduct in-person interviews, due to geographical constraints all interviews are conducted by telephone. The timeline for the application process varies by position.

Can I apply for more than one institute position?

Yes, you can apply for more than one institute position. The required activities for each position vary, so please be sure to complete and upload the appropriate activity and to add yourself to the appropriate position pool online.

What if I have worked on institute staff in the past?

If you have worked on institute staff in the past, please indicate that on the online application. Also, note that you will have a different topic for your letter of intent than first-time applicants. Please visit www.teachforamerica.org/careers/institute to learn more about the application process.

Why don’t you ask for recommendation letters?

We find that the information provided in your application, combined with recommendations (where possible) from your regional team, gives us enough information to make an informed decision.

Is there a staff waitlist?

Every year, we typically waitlist approximately 15 – 20 percent of our accepted applicants. We use a waitlist so that as we have a final count of new corps members and we find a need for additional institute staff members, we can make offers quickly. We communicate with waitlisted applicants on an ongoing basis and set a final date to notify them of their status.

Can first-year corps members apply to be CMAs?

Given that classroom experience is so important to supporting new corps members, we generally prefer that CMAs have at least two years teaching experience by the time they start the job. We do recognize, however, that every year there are a handful of first-year corps members who meet all the other qualifications of the CMA role, and we are occasionally able to make exceptions for those corps members.

We encourage first-year corps members to consider any of our operations director and school operations manager positions.

What is the timeline for the application process?

Position	Application Due	Notification of Interview or Decline	Final Notification
Corps Member Advisor Coordinator	Sunday, November 22	Friday, December 4	Friday, January 15*
Curriculum Coordinator	Sunday, November 22	Friday, December 4	Friday, January 15*
School Director	Sunday, November 22	Friday, December 4	Friday, January 15*
Curriculum Specialist	Sunday, January 10	Tuesday, January 19	Tuesday, March 2
Literacy Specialist	Sunday, January 10	Tuesday, January 19	Tuesday, March 2
Operations Director	Sunday, January 10	Tuesday, January 19	Thursday, March 4
School Operations Manager Coordinator	Sunday, January 10	Tuesday, January 19	Thursday, March 4
Corps Member Advisor	Monday, January 18	Monday, February 1	Tuesday, March 23
Director of Data Management	Monday, January 18	Monday, February 1	Tuesday, March 23
School Operations Manager	Monday, January 18	Monday, February 1	Tuesday, March 23
Operations Coordinator	Sunday, January 24	Monday, February 8	Tuesday, March 30
Resource Room Specialist	Friday, March 7	Wednesday March 17	Tuesday, April 20

*unless otherwise communicated by an institute management team

Please note:

Applicants who are granted interviews will have one phone interviews during the interview period.
Interviews range between 30 and 90 minutes.
All interviews will be conducted by phone.
All notification will be via e-mail.

What if I have additional questions regarding employment at the institutes?: If you have additional questions, please visit our website: www.teachforamerica.org/careers/institute or please email institutestaff@teachforamerica.org.
Can I receive feedback on my interview?: Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to give individualized feedback on interviews.

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