Indianapolis

There's a climate of innovation that’s gaining momentum across Indianapolis schools and districts. And it's opening up new opportunities for kids.

Two young students look at a book together.

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About Us Living and Teaching Here Our Community Vision Meet Our Executive Director Meet Our Staff Connect on Social Media Support Our Work

About Us

Over the last decade, Indianapolis (affectionately known as "Indy") has risen as a national leader on the front lines of innovation in P-12 education. More than any other urban city in the country, you'll find schools, communities, nonprofits, government entities, companies, and foundations working together towards a common mission of excellent educational opportunities for our kids.

Collective action to ensure every child can access the education they deserve is not only a result of the city's relational culture—but a moral imperative. By the time Indianapolis students are 10 years old, they are grade levels behind their more affluent suburban peers. Alarmingly, the ELA proficiency rates for students attending public schools with in the geographic boundary of Indianapolis Public Schools is 20 percentage points lower than the state average. Meanwhile, Black students were nearly 30 percentage points lower than their white counterparts.

Fortunately, a movement for change is gaining momentum in the Circle City. And, as is true in any successful endeavor, wherever you see strong results, you find coalitions of breakthrough leaders driving the effort. Teach For America has come to play an essential role as a primary source of leaders who expand opportunity for children from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that shapes the broader systems in which schools operate.

Living and Teaching Here

Indianapolis is in the midst of an exciting citywide revitalization throughout its numerous entertainment venues, festivals, parks, restaurants, and sporting arenas. Downtown Indianapolis is home to Canal Walk, with its beautiful scenery and close proximity to some of the city’s most popular cultural institutions. Art enthusiasts will appreciate Massachusetts Avenue, also known as "Indy's answer to SoHo," and Broadripple. Both have a wide array of art galleries, theaters, unique eateries and nightlife.

Corps members teach in more than 50 different public district, innovation, and charter schools throughout the city. Whether teaching across the hall or participating in the numerous social and advocacy events Indy has to offer, the close-knit Teach For America community is thriving on collaboration and connection here in the city.

Explore Our Neighborhoods

Skyline of Indianapolis at dusk, with people having a picnic on a grassy hill over the city.

“Being a transplant, Indianapolis has been such an incredible city to live and work in. It truly is a large city with a small town feel and you can tell that there is care and commitment with moving the city forward.”

Nathalie Howard

Teach For America Indianapolis Alum

2019

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Our Community Vision

Through an empowering education, we envision the day when all Indianapolis children lead lives of their choosing and collectively contribute to a more vibrant and just city.

We are making progress towards that day in Indy. Today, Indiana is among a group of national leaders in educational outcomes, the city of Indianapolis is catching up with the state, and more kids from low-income backgrounds have access to educational and life opportunity than ever before.

Yet, we have a long way to go to reach the excellent outcomes all students and families in our community deserve. As we transition to looking forward towards the next 20 years, the progress we make for our kids and our community must be accelerated. We believe deeply in what we have seen so far and know that the progress moving forward must be deeply rooted in critical hope.

Community Conditions

There are multiple systemic conditions that need to be satisfied over time to reach this community vision, including but not limited to the following:

Every school must be excellent.
A network of services that meet basic human needs must be available to all kids.
Expanded post-secondary, employment, and capital opportunity must be accessible to children of all backgrounds.
Our policy environment must be responsive to the needs of our most vulnerable children, and translate insights from proof points of possibility and scale them into broader practice.

Tenika Holden-Flynn

Executive Director, Teach For America Indianapolis

With nearly 20 years of experience in education, Dr. Tenika Holden-Flynn has dedicated her career to serving students in elementary, middle, and high school in traditional public and public charter schools in Indianapolis and across the country.

Meet Our Team & Advisory Board