Skip to main content

Phoenix

Today, only 27 percent of Arizona eighth graders are proficient in math. Together, we’ll reach 100 percent. It starts in Phoenix.
Teach For America Phoenix
On This Page

About Us

The Grand Canyon State is full of natural wonder, vibrant culture, and connected communities. People are drawn to Arizona, not only for the beautiful weather, but for the state's sense of opportunity, spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, and a willingness to embrace leaders ready to play an active role in their community.

Arizona needs these strong leaders—willing to roll up their sleeves, and work hand-in-hand with students, families, and their communities, to help raise the bar for education achievement across the state. 

Arizona’s future success and economic vitality is also dependent on the rate of Latino educational attainment. Arizona is on track to be one of the first states to have a “minority” majority population, with Latinos making up the majority of the population by 2028, yet education results for Latino students remain disproportionately low. 

As of the summer of 2022, there are over 2,000 teacher vacancies in the state of Arizona. We passionately believe a committed and qualified teacher can change the trajectory of a student’s achievement by investing in the talents and abilities our students possess. 

Teach For America Phoenix has a proud 28 year history in Phoenix, which is represented in the strength of our community and school partnerships, and in the impact of our over 100 corps members and 1,100 alumni still living in Arizona. Informed and inspired by their students, many alumni choose to teach in high-need schools and communities beyond their two-year commitments. Others lead from many sectors that shape the context and conditions in which schools operate: they are school and district leaders; policy makers; founders of advocacy organizations; social entrepreneurs; and business, philanthropic, and civic leaders working to make change. Our corps members and alumni work relentlessly every day with our communities to ensure the students of Arizona have the opportunities they deserve.

The students of Phoenix have big plans to change the world.

Living Here

Living Here

Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the U.S. and the only state capital with a population of more than 1 million residents.

It's a place of rebirth, rich culture, and endless sunny days. From food trucks to hiking trails to spring training games to art exhibits, staying busy is easy. And with over 300 days of sunshine and an average winter temperature in the 0s, outdoor activities are a must! 

A person holding a water bottle and wearing a backpack looks over the sunrise in Phoenix.

It starts in Phoenix.

Check your eligibility to join the Phoenix corps today.
Check Eligibility

Our Corps Members

“I grew up in a single parent Hispanic household. When I found out that Phoenix was one of my options for Teach For America I recognized that I would have the opportunity to serve students and communities who grew up very similar to the way I did.”

Annemarie Donnelly

Phoenix Corps Member 2016

Certification and Optional Graduate School

Get in Touch

Questions about Teach For America Phoenix?
Send Us a Note
“TFA is a forever life-changing experience that unites so many of us together in hope towards a better future for all students.”

Jennifer Ho

Phoenix Corps Member 2005

Our Alumni

Teach For America has had a presence in Phoenix for almost 30 years, and our alumni community is large and thriving. There are 1,100 alumni across Arizona, more than half still working in schools as teachers, school administrators, and district leaders. Alumni continue their leadership as elected officials, business leaders, health care professionals, lawyers, and other careers rooted in their experience as educators. 

In the years to come, we will evolve from 1000+ big to 1000+ strong in Arizona, by strengthening the ties that bind our community, learning from many perspectives, experiences, and pathways, and empowering our network to learn, collaborate, and take action together towards excellent educational opportunities for all students n Arizona.

Teach For America Phoenix Alumni with Students

Alumni Impact

Explore Alum-Led Organizations

SOUNDS Academy

A nonprofit music education organization that teaches, mentors, and provides musical experiences and opportunities for underserved youth.

OneTeacher

OneTeacher makes matches between amazing teachers and inspiring Title I schools in Arizona.

Schola

Schola is on a mission to improve education outcomes by placing students in their ideal education setting.

thinkLaw

Helps educators unleash the critical thinking potential of all students using real-life legal cases, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes for rigorous and engaging lessons.

Aliento

Aliento serves undocumented, DACA, and mixed immigration status families to transform trauma into hope and action.

Voyce Threads

A lifestyle brand that brings awareness to important causes by creating one-of-a-kind mismatched socks that tell the inspiring story of those who make our world a better place.

 

An orange line

Support Our Work

This critically important work would not be possible without you. Thank you for supporting our teachers who, like you, are unwavering in their belief that ALL kids in Arizona deserve an excellent education.

Miami-Dade

Join a community of innovative leaders who are creating opportunities for all students in Miami-Dade.
Teach For America Miami-Dade
On This Page

About Us

Miami–Dade is a warm and vibrant community, thriving with culture, innovation, and opportunity. However, access to opportunity is disproportionately skewed between zip codes due to vast economic disparity across Miami’s neighborhoods. Teach For America Miami-Dade is proud to be a partner in the work to provide every student in Miami the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

We first came to Miami-Dade in 2003, responding to community members across Miami who came together to demand an excellent education for every student. Nearly two decades later, 1,550 teachers have served over 250,000 students across Miami and made a measurable impact on academic growth.. This year, more than 600 corps members and alumni are teaching and leading in Miami-Dade’s highest need schools. They've reached more than 20,000 students. More than 700 local alumni are working across a range of fields in our city to address the root causes of educational disparities. 

We are proud of what we have accomplished so far in Miami-Dade’s schools, and we know we have more work to do as we partner with our community to improve outcomes for every student.

Our Corps Members

Miami is a cultural melting pot that has been shaped by many Hispanic and Caribbean influences since the 1960s. More than three-fourths of Miami-Dade corps members share the background of their students, giving them unique insight into the challenges our students face.

Corps Members teach in the Miami-Dade County School District (M-DCPS), the fourth largest school district in the US and only one in four districts in the country to show improvement on reading and math two years in a row. Our corps members teach over 10,000 students each year across 35 public schools, located in the neighborhoods of Homestead, Miami Gardens, Little Haiti, West Little River, Overtown, Liberty City, and North Miami. 

TFA Miami-Dade's 2017-18 Corps Members

Education Innovation Summit 2023

We are beyond inspired by the passion, dedication, and innovation that was shared by the brilliant education leaders who gathered to shape the future of learning in Miami-Dade. Join us in celebrating their remarkable work and the lasting impact they're making on our students' lives across Miami-Dade and beyond.

Innovators wanted.

Check your eligibility to join the Miami-Dade corps today.
Check Eligibility

No-Cost Certification and Optional Grad School

Miami-Dade corps members have two options for seeking professional certification: the MINT 2.0 Professional Pathway to Certification or earning a master’s in education and social change through the University of Miami. 

Get in Touch.

Questions about Teach For America Miami?
Drop Us a Note
An orange line

Support Our Work

Your generosity helps us build a force of corps members and alumni serving Miami-Dade students and working from all angles to ignite the movement for educational excellence for all. 

Volunteer Florida

Greater New Orleans

System-level changes and an influx of talent continue to transform educational outcomes in New Orleans, one of the fastest improving regions in the country.
Teach For America Greater New Orleans
On This Page

This progress has been due in part to the impact that Teach For America corps members and alums have had on our local education system. To date, more than 3,000 corps members have come to our region to serve in open-enrollment public schools across the state. Many more Teach For America alums from other regions have answered the call for leadership in our communities and have chosen to make Louisiana home. Approximately 70% of our local network of leaders work in every level of education; from running education organizations to teaching, leading schools and districts, and serving at the Louisiana Department of Education and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

There are 1,100 alums living in the Greater New Orleans area and more across the state. They join the additional 70 corps members teaching in 30 schools in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. After more than 30 years of impact, so much has changed for Louisiana, but there is still work to do to provide the educational opportunities our students need to create a future filled with possibility. We know we can get there because our children have the potential for excellence, and our leaders are dedicated to a future in which all children have the chance to learn, lead, and thrive. 

Join Us

Check your eligibility to join the Greater New Orleans corps today.
Check Eligibility

Our Community

Across America, you won't find a more engaging, invigorating, and dynamic community in which to learn and grow as an educator and a leader than Greater New Orleans. Our region carries a rich and complex history that can be seen in our great food, wonderful music, Mardi Gras, and magic. But that history also manifests as barriers to opportunity for our most vulnerable children.

Approximately 1.2 million people live in the Greater New Orleans region, but our corps members are predominantly placed in the city of New Orleans with some in neighboring Jefferson Parish. A highlight of living and working in New Orleans is the connection to a unique American city with a culture like none other. New Orleans culture was created through a “gumbo” of traditions and influences, and as a corps member you will be immersed in the city and in your school community.

In partnership with many others, we are working to establish a large-scale movement that relies on a powerfully connected group of leaders who work to create solutions and ensure that schools are catalytic places for all students.

gno support our work

Living in Greater New Orleans

Unique in every way, New Orleans is a city full of interesting neighborhoods, many of which change in character from one block to the next. The large area known as Uptown includes several of New Orleans' most historic and storied locales, such as the Garden District and Audubon Park. Mid-City boasts beautiful City Park, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the Fairgrounds racetrack, home of the world famous Jazz & Heritage Festival. Both Uptown and Mid-City, as well as the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods, are home to many corps members and alumni.

From sampling the city's famous cuisine at countless restaurants, to hearing live music on Oak or Frenchmen Street, to shopping on Magazine Street or dining in the newly revitalized Freret Street neighborhood, there's never a shortage of things to do in New Orleans outside the classroom. Even lesson planning can be done in a beautiful, unique setting like the Rosa F. Keller Library & Community Center, which was recently rebuilt and reopened. A fantastic addition to the Broadmoor neighborhood, this library has a cafe and hosts a variety of weekly programs, including ESL tutoring, computer classes, knitting circles, and cooking classes.

A music venue is painted colorfully in New Orleans.
“The generosity of the people of New Orleans and the depth of its history and culture, combined with the innovation that's so alive—especially in the realm of education—make this the most beautiful place to live.”

Denali Lander

Greater New Orleans Corps Member 2009

Greater New Orleans Instructional Coaching Fellowship

Learn more about professional development opportunities for experienced educators seeking to develop their coaching and leadership skills.

A group of teachers working together.

Get in Touch.

Questions about Teach For America Greater New Orleans?
Drop Us a Note

Support Our Work

Now, more than ever, we need leaders who are 100% committed to creating the best future for kids and families.
Ways To Support

Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a national leader in public education—but beyond the accolades lie deep, persistent disparities. We’re working with communities statewide to change this.
Teach For America Massachusetts School Welcome Mural
On This Page

About Us

Massachusetts is widely known for its place in U.S. history, its reputation as the ultimate “college town,” and for being home to some of the very best education our nation has to offer. Yet despite these assets, the Bay State is fraught with disparities—home to some of the largest educational attainment gaps in the country, as well as some of the very largest gaps in earnings and wealth. 

However, many here believe that if access to an excellent education for every child is going to happen anywhere, it will happen in Massachusetts. Our state enjoys a unique combination of resources—a rich tradition of prioritizing public education, a strong pipeline of talent, numerous colleges and universities, a forward-thinking state Department of Education, a rich nonprofit sector, and a generous philanthropic community. Massachusetts also is home to innovative and promising approaches to lasting improvements within traditional districts, such as school and district turnaround and transformation efforts, alongside arguably the strongest charter public school sector in the US.

We no longer question if it can be done. In Massachusetts, the question is: How can we accelerate the student success that we know is possible?

Central to our efforts is the belief that no social movement, in the past or today, can be successful unless communities are themselves at the forefront leading the work. Our state attracts great talent from around the country and around the world—and also has tremendous assets in the brilliant, inspiring, and dynamic students we are fortunate to work with. Our hope is that our students and families will be the teachers, principals, advocates, and policy makers that continue this work into the future.

There is much work to be done in Massachusetts—but there is also incredible potential.

What role will you play?

Our Corps Members

The Massachusetts region provides an unparalleled context for working to expand educational opportunity. Here, you will experience an unrivaled opportunity to make lasting change.

Massachusetts corps members teach in traditional and charter public schools in the Greater Boston communities of Boston, Lawrence, Chelsea, in Fall River in the South Coast, and in Springfield in Western Massachusetts. Wherever possible, we work to cluster multiple corps members in schools to maximize their impact on students and the community. Read on for more on each of these three sub-regions. 

Teacher looks happily at her students' work.

Changemakers Wanted

Check your eligibility to join the Massachusetts corps today.
Check Eligibility

Our Alumni

Our more than 2,500 include leaders throughout the K-12 education space, including veteran educators and principals, superintendents and district-level leaders, and state education officials. Our local alumni educators have founded innovative schools such as Unidos at Lawrence High School, and share their voice as advocates in many venues, including the White House. Alum Jeff Riley (Baltimore ’93) led a ground-breaking district-level turnaround in Lawrence, Massachusetts, that could be a model for sustained, systemic change in a traditional school district; he now leverages that perspective as the state’s Commissioner of Education. To increase access to post-secondary education, alumni leaders like Amanda Seider (Atlanta ‘02) and Chessye Moseley (Colorado ‘12) lead organizations and initiatives to support early college programs and matriculation to and graduation from college

Alumni like physician Avik Chatterjee (New Jersey ’02) provide much-needed health care to deeply underserved communities, while others like Shenkiat Lim (Mississippi Delta ’00) leverage their passion and MBA to deepen the impact of community-focused organizations like City Year.

 

“It's important for me as a man of color to be a force in the education movement because many of the decisions made that impact students in under-resourced communities are not made by people who reflect the backgrounds and experiences of those in the communities the policies most directly affect.”

Kwame Adams

Massachusetts Corps Member 2014

Get in Touch

Questions about Teach For America Massachusetts?
Drop Us a Note
An orange line

Support Our Work

Your generosity helps us create a future in which all Massachusetts children can learn, lead, and thrive.

Charlotte-Piedmont Triad

Together, with families, educators, and community partners, we are working to ensure all students in Charlotte-Piedmont Triad receive excellent educational opportunities.
why join hero image
On This Page

About Us

Our corps members and alumni leaders are making a huge impact across Charlotte-Piedmont Triad. Since 2014, 30 Teach For America corps members have been nominated as Guilford County Schools (GCS) Rookie Teacher of the Year, including La’Keia Colquitt (CPT '19) who was named Rookie Teacher of the District in 2020Our corps members and alumni impact nearly 30,000 students on average each school year. 

Informed and inspired by their students, our alumni are leading in schools, making policy, founding advocacy organizations, and developing businesses. Currently, 25 principals are Teach For America alumni. In 2017, two alumni were named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 list. 

To continue growing our impact, Charlotte-Piedmont Triad is focused on cultivating models of excellence at the school and classroom levels and activating the collective leadership of our network. We aim to leverage the scale of our network of 1,000 members by creating spaces to learn, innovate, and take action together.

A group of students participating in a physical activity in class.

Our Community

Charlotte-Piedmont Triad has a rich legacy. Today, Charlotte is home to a burgeoning arts scene of murals, museums, and gallery crawls. Piedmont Triad has become a hub for innovation, social entrepreneurship, and higher education opportunities.

Luckiewiki, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Changemakers wanted.

Check your eligibility to join the Charlotte-Piedmont Triad corps today.
Check Eligibility
“My students and the connection to Teach for America are what keeps me in Greensboro. I feel like I am part of something so much bigger than my own classroom and that I am working towards a goal that matters with an inspirational team that challenges me to be better.”

Kalle Davis

Charlotte-Piedmont Triad Corps Member 2014

Certification

North Carolina Requires that every classroom teacher hold an educator license. Corps members will earn their license by enrolling in the two-year Teach for America NC-East Carolina University Education Preparation Program. The Education Preparation Program is mandatory unless you have already completed one. Certification costs between $2,000 and $6,473.

In addition, you may choose to utilize the AmeriCorps funds granted to you following your initial year of teaching to help offset the expenses of the two credit courses you must take in your second year of the Education Preparation Program. After completing their two-year commitment with TFA-NC and meeting all the requirements of the Education Preparation Program, corps members are eligible to receive their NC Professional Initial License.

Charlotte-Piedmont Triad covers the central part of North Carolina including focused placement in Charlotte, Greensboro, High Point, Gibsonville, and McLeansville. Working across these sites, corps members have the opportunity to explore and teach across two school districts—Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Guilford County Schools—in addition to charter school partners.

Get in Touch

Questions about Teach For America Charlotte-Piedmont Triad?
Drop Us a Note
An orange line

Support Our Work

Your generosity helps build a future in which all children in Charlotte-Piedmont Triad can learn, lead, and thrive. 

Rio Grande Valley

In the Rio Grande Valley, we believe that our "familia" includes all students. Join educators and the broader community in ensuring students receive the education they deserve and our community's future demands.
A high school classroom full of students raising their hands
On This Page

About Us

Situated in deep South Texas, the Rio Grande Valley is 43,000 square miles bounded by the Rio Grande River to the west and south and the Gulf of Mexico to the east. The  Valley's cultural richness has led to a community that is strong, proud, and determined—and a region that sings with opportunity and collaboration.

Teachers in the Rio Grande Valley are faced with a steep challenge. For every 100 students entering a public school classroom in South Texas today, only 12 will receive a college degree within six years of graduation. As early as third grade, students in South Texas are performing behind their peers across the state and this disparity persists into college for those students who are able to further their education.

Since 1991, Teach For America has brought more than 1,400 leaders to South Texas schools. Due to the partnership and sustained efforts of district teams, such as Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District and schools like IDEA, committed families, engaged community partners, and supportive elected officials, student outcomes have improved significantly during this time. The high school graduation rate has risen from 78 percent to over 90 percent since 2001, exceeding the rate for the rest of the state.

It is our goal that by 2030, twice as many children in the communities where we work will reach key educational milestones, indicating they are on a path to economic mobility and co-creating a future filled with possibility. This is an exciting time to live and lead in the Valley, where we are part of a movement working to change the region’s educational landscape and expectations for achievement.

Take the next step and make an impact.

Apply to Teach in Rio Grande Valley

Driving this change has been bold leadership, school systems leaders from pre-K-12, institutions of higher education, and the workforce collaborating to create systems, public-private partnerships, and coordinated philanthropy. As a result, there has been a collective and consistent call for better educational outcomes for all children in preparation for the 21st-century demands our students face.

Students working on laptops with a teacher assisting.

Over the course of 27 years, Teach  For America Rio Grande Valley has been a trailblazer in building a formidable leadership pipeline and network that has been a strong driver in this progress at the system, school, and classroom leadership levels. Look across the Rio Grande Valley, and you will see the footprint our corps members and alumni continue to make in our community. In spite of this progress, we know there is so much more to be done to ensure today’s students are the leaders our community needs in the future.

Adults seated in a conference room.

“I feel like I am adopted into a culture that wasn't my own to start  with but I have grown to feel a part of this amazing place.”

-  Ivy Stejskal, RGV Corps Member 2015

Where We Work

Corps members teach in the state’s three southernmost counties in ten different districts and over 30 different schools. Because our region is so geographically vast, we strive to keep corps members in groups to ensure that they receive support and can partner together and with colleagues to increase student opportunities and achievement.

Get in Touch

Questions about Teach For America Rio Grande Valley?

“When my senior year of college came around, I knew I wanted to help others, but it wasn’t  until I spoke to my Teach For America recruiter that I finally decided  how I would do so. TFA’s mission deeply resonated with me and reminded  me of my former teachers, some of whom were from TFA who, thanks to  their constant encouragement, helped me get to and through college. I  wanted to be able to push my students to reach their full potential in  STEM the same way that my former TFA teachers did for me.”

- José Castillo, RGV Corps Member 2020

Expand Opportunities for RGV Students

Naturally situated on a physical border of the Rio Grande River, the Rio Grande Valley sits at the crossroads of two nations with intertwined history, culture, and language. For much of its history, the region has been defined by what it lacks. Increasingly confident, the local community is communicating its own narrative with a strong emphasis on family and community. Together, leaders from across sectors are stating that we can—and must—provide higher-quality educational options for all students.

Educators in the Rio Grande Valley have been slowly changing the odds. In a community where more than 85 percent of students are classified as economically disadvantaged, data shows the region's students are increasingly able to catch up to, and in many cases surpass the state average. In the past, the expectation might have been to graduate high school but now families and communities are demanding more opportunities for students to pursue higher education, including a new university and medical school.

Educators are highly respected leaders in the community and are given flexibility to innovate and develop additional solutions and pathways for students. Teach For America partners with a wide variety of school districts to develop our corps members and alumni into leaders who continue to fuel change as we work towards greater educational opportunities for all students.

Interested in joining the Rio Grande Valley teacher corps?

Support Our Work

All gifts help our effort to recruit, select, train, and support excellent teachers and leaders for Rio Grande Valley students.

Memphis

Too many children in Memphis are denied access to an excellent education based on their zip code. Teach For America catalyzes leadership to make educational excellence for all a reality.
Mural in Memphis
On This Page

About Us

With increasing momentum behind the movement to ensure educational excellence for all, Memphis is full of promise. To continue pushing our city forward, our goal is to attract more exceptional individuals to join our corps, develop their leadership skills, and support them in their diverse efforts to expand opportunities for all students. The magnitude and complexity of the change we seek will require sustained leadership both inside and outside of the current education system.

As we consider the educational landscape in Memphis today, we are firm in our belief that this city must be the place that refuses to question whether some kids can achieve and others can’t, but instead demands that all do at the highest of levels.

People walk in a parade with photos of MLK

Our Corps Members

TFA Memphis teachers are consistently named by the state of Tennessee as among the most effective, with over 78% of our corps members receiving a score of 3 or higher on the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS).  We've had numerous teachers recognized by their schools or the district for their work.  In the past 4 years, 8 of our alumni have been named New Memphis Educators of Excellence.  Every day in the classrooms of our corps members we see students succeed at rates not thought possible and they continue to raise the bar for our own expectations of what is possible in a first- or second-year teacher’s classroom.

“I believe that education is the key to ending poverty, education is the key to future success, is the key to current success.”

Cartavius Black

High School Success Coordinator, Grizzlies Prep

Memphis Corps Member 2017

Teaching Certification and Graduate School

Since 2010, Teach For America Memphis has been a licensed Education Preparation Provider (EPP) in Tennessee, and this past year was the number 3 provider in the state, and 1 of only 10 EPPs to receive an overall rating of "Exceeds Expectations" on the state report card.

Through our certification program, our corps members earn their teaching license during their two-year commitment, with no outside classes or certification work required.  

Completing a master's degree is not a required part of our program, but we do have a partnership with Johns Hopkins University for those interested in pursuing an advanced degree.  The TFA Alumni Hub details partnerships with other institutions as well.  

Changemakers wanted.

Check your eligibility to join the Memphis corps today.
Check Eligibility

Our Alumni

There are more than 700 TFA alumni in Memphis. Our region offers of variety of leadership opportunities for alumni like our Aspiring School Leader Fellowship, Alumni Advisory Board, and Civic Leadership Series.  We also offer programming to connect alumni with each other and our corps members through events like our annual Grits & GRIND Alumni Brunch. 

Grits & Grind attendees; Barbara Rosser Hyde Honorees; alumni teacher

Memphis Alumni Awards and Fellowships

Get in Touch

Questions about Teach For America Memphis?
Send Us A Note

Interview with TFA Memphis Executive Director on WKNO

Check out the interview Chris did with WKNO's series "The Spark", where he talks about the great things TFA Memphis Corps Members and Alumni are doing in the region!

An orange line

Support Our Work

Your generosity helps us build a force of corps members and alumni serving Memphis students and working from all angles to ignite the movement for educational excellence for all. 

Nashville-Chattanooga

Join a community of innovative educators and limitless learners who are passionate about creating opportunities for kids in Nashville-Chattanooga.
A Teach For America corps member working with a young student at her desk.
On This Page

About Us

Teach For America began our partnership with the Nashville community in 2009. Since that year, we have recruited and trained well over 800 teachers for high-need Nashville classrooms. As we enter into our second decade in the city of Nashville, our alumni and corps members continue to serve at the forefront of change.  

While Teach For America is only just beginning its first decade in Chattanooga, Tennessee alumni have influenced the city for years. Jill Levine, a 1992 New Orleans alumnus, serves as the Chief of Innovation and Choice for Hamilton County Public Schools. Jill previously led the Opportunity Zone in Chattanooga, a group of 12 of the city’s highest needs schools. Alumni in Chattanooga lead in the classroom, school leadership, district leadership, and across a variety of sectors.  

Through the development and support provided by Teach For America, corps members have been found by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) to be among the most effective teachers in the state year over year. 

For long-term change to take effect, we are working to create a movement of individuals committed to collective impact with students.

One Vision, One Region

Despite the challenges that both communities face, at TFA Nashville-Chattanooga, we know there is another way. Our TFA network in Nashville-Chattanooga now numbers over 1,000. Our nearly 500 corps member and alumni teachers score among the highest in the state year over year in leading their students to incredible academic growth. Our 26 public school principals lead some of the most game-changing schools in the state. For over a decade, Teach For America has expanded opportunities to students and families in Nashville and will leverage that decade’s long history to support students and families in Chattanooga.

Nashville-Chattanooga Corps

Training, Certification, and Graduate Programs

Join Us

Find out if you're eligible for our corps.
Check Eligibility

Our Alumni

More than 90 percent of TFA Nashville-Chattanooga alumni continue to work with low-income communities and over 70 percent continue serving in education—there are almost 200 alumni teaching in classrooms across Nashville and Chattanooga, more than 25 school principals, and over 40 alumni in school leadership positions.

Two alumni school leaders stand in a hallway

Get in Touch

Questions about TFA Nashville-Chattanooga?
Send Us a Note
An orange line

Support Our Work

Your gift helps expand excellent educational opportunities in our communities. 

Twin Cities

Education is one of the most powerful levers to foster economic mobility. TFA Twin Cities has committed to a goal that by 2030, twice as many children in communities we serve will reach key educational milestones that build a path to economic mobility and a future filled with possibility. To reach this goal, we seek to leverage the scale of our network to drive learning, innovation, and collective impact.
A teacher writing on a chalkboard.
On This Page

About Us

Minnesota is a top 10 state in a variety of livability measures (according to U.S. News): healthcare, employment, and education. We rank seventh in the country for PreK through 12th grade education. That said, student achievement results indicate massive disparities in educational outcomes by race and class. While these rates have improved slightly over the past few years, Minnesota ranks in the bottom four states for four-year high school graduation for Black, Latino, and Indigenous students. Only 60 percent of Minnesota's students of color graduate—and of that group, only one-third go on to enroll in post-secondary institutions. Thirty percent of low-income background students and students of color enrolled in college have to take remedial coursework. These are the challenges that face our community.

Teach For America is a network of leaders transforming the education landscape in the Twin Cities Metro Area in order to ensure that one day all students have access to an excellent education. We recruit and develop promising young leaders to teach in low-income schools for at least two years, then support their impact throughout their careers, both within and outside of the education system. The majority of our alumni continue to live out their dedication to the Teach For America mission in schools, policy, business, law, healthcare, and nonprofits across the Twin Cities.

Changemakers wanted.

Check your eligibility to join the Twin Cities corps today.
Check Eligibility

More About the Twin Cities

The Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis are incredibly rich and diverse cities with dramatic skylines, exciting pro sports, award-winning theaters, renowned restaurants, and a booming craft beer scene. Whether you are a music lover, avid biker, or love hiking—there is something for everyone. Minnesota is home to 66 state parks, 10,000 lakes, and historic music venues famous for their live music. We enjoy all four seasons, and while you have likely heard of our snowy winters, we also enjoy beautiful summers and vibrant falls.

Our region is situated on Dakota land, and indigenous people continue to demonstrate their talents and gifts here. The land of 10,000 lakes is home to a number of vibrant communities. We have the second-largest Hmong population in the U.S., as well as the largest Somali population in the world outside of Somalia. Minnesota also has the largest population of urban Native students in the country and the largest urban settlement of Indigenous or American Indian communities.

Our Network

Our region is comprised of an expansive network of corps members and alumni. Nineteen percent of our corps and 16 percent of alums identify as people of color, and more than one-fifth come from low-income backgrounds. Our alums span across all sectors in the Twin Cities’ community, from teachers to policy and advocacy leaders.

Teach For America teacher being hugged by students

Get in Touch

Questions about Teach For America Twin Cities?
Send Us A Note

Support Our Work

Your generosity helps create a future in which all children in the Twin Cities can learn, lead, and thrive.
Donate

South Dakota

The work to ensure all children within Lakota communities in South Dakota have access to an excellent education is all about self-determination. Students and their families are leading the charge.
Mia Francis high fives students walking into South Dakota school.
On This Page

About Us

Nine sovereign Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota nations lie within the state borders of South Dakota. Leaders within these nations protect and maintain the culture and sovereignty of the Oceti Sakowin.

Many indigenous families struggle with access to healthcare, housing, and employment, and the educational landscape is in stark contrast with that of the state's more affluent communities. Fewer than 10 percent of Native adults hold a bachelor's degree, and among students living on reservations, less than one in three reads on grade level. High school graduation rates hover around 50 percent. Yet these often-repeated statistics only tell part of the story. Tight-knit and family-oriented, indigenous communities in South Dakota continue the long work of liberation with humor, strength, and commitment to local visions of self-determination.

In 2004, Teach For America established a partnership with communities of the Oglala Lakota and Sicangu Lakota Nations (also known as the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations) with 17 corps members. Today our educators work shoulder-to-shoulder alongside community partners to ensure Lakota youth experience learning, wholeness and belonging, and self-determination.

Our Tiospaye // Our Family

Join Our Tiospaye

Help us unleash the potential of the Seventh Generation. Check your eligibility for the South Dakota corps.
Check Eligibility

Where You'll Teach

In South Dakota, 100 percent of our corps members teach within a Tribal Nation, and virtually all of our students are Lakota. The schools we partner with are in the Sicangu Lakota and Oglala Lakota Nations, which are located across the south central and southwest parts of the state, respectively. Most corps members live in close proximity to the schools in which they teach, almost always on the reservations themselves, and become active members of their communities.

Our region is one of striking physical beauty, steeped in a complex history that has shaped the lives of the Indigenous Lakota people. Todd and Oglala Lakota Counties are situated at the foot of the scenic Black Hills, or Paha Sapa, which hold tremendous spiritual significance for the Lakota people and are viewed as the heart and soul of their culture and history. Bordering our communities, the rugged beauty of the eroding formations of the Badlands hides fossils, deer, prairie dogs, bighorn sheep, black-footed ferrets, bison, and more.

It is an honor and privilege to live and teach within sovereign nations, where many of our corps members are guests. Communities are tight-knit and supportive, and opportunities for involvement with arts, culture, sports, and the outdoors abound.

Get in Touch

Connect directly to our region, we want to hear from you.
Drop Us a Note
An orange line

Support Us

Your generosity helps build a force of leaders working from all angles to expand educational opportunities for Lakota students. 

Subscribe to