Charlotte

Charlotte, known as “The Queen City,” is located in the southwestern part of North Carolina and is just a three-hour drive to the Carolina beaches and two hours to the scenic Appalachian Mountains.

Quick Stats
Site Since: 2004
Corps Size: 233
Average summer temperature: 77° Average winter temperature: 44 °
Car: Access to car is essential

Beginning teacher's salary : $34,400 - $37,800

Although Charlotte is considered a national finance center, many areas of the city continue to experience tremendous economic and educational need. For example, only 12 percent of high school students in Teach For America*Charlotte placement schools score proficient on state standardized tests. Only 33 percent of students in Charlotte’s lowest-income elementary schools are proficient in reading and math; while 93 percent of students in high-income elementary schools are proficient.

Teach For America has placed teachers in Charlotte since 2004. In 2008, a four million dollar gift from the C.D. Spangler Foundation enabled Charlotte to nearly double the size of its corps, becoming Teach For America’s second fastest growing region, and in turn allowing the region to increase its impact. Each year, corps members continue to lead their students to match or exceed the academic gains of students in high performing schools.

Life

Corps members find living in Charlotte very enjoyable as it uniquely blends aspects of Northern and Southern living. As the 20th largest city in the US, Charlotte has over 50 unique neighborhoods from which to choose, each with its own distinct feel and character. Money magazine recently rated Charlotte one of the top ten places to live in America, and Black Enterprise magazine named Charlotte as one of the top ten places for African-Americans to live, work, and play.

Charlotte's culture represents a full spectrum of interests, from the fine artwork of the Mint Museum to the roaring crowds of the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Charlotte's social calendar is filled with sidewalk dining, theater performances, gallery crawls, professional sporting events, outdoor festivals, and concerts.

Corps Culture

Charlotte corps members continue to produce dramatic academic results for their students with the help of staff members and participation in consistent ongoing professional development. Support systems and professional development opportunities available to corps members include:

• Placement clustering
• Participating in content-specific learning groups.
• Professional development workshops led by staff, alumni, and veteran teachers

Corps members have had a significant impact on student achievement.

• Corps member impact on student achievement is nearly three times the impact of teachers with three or more years of experience, according to the most recent Urban Institute study of North Carolina high school.
• For five consecutive years, a corps member has been named the district’s Outstanding First Year Teacher of the Year.
• Over 100 Teach For America alumni live, work, and lead in Charlotte, including the principal and founder of KIPP Charlotte and the executive of New Leaders for New Schools.