Why can't I apply or register to attend LEAD 2018?

The window for open application and registration for LEAD 2018 is now closed.  Only applicants with confirmations of their acceptance are eligible to register at this time.  You will receive an email with a direct link to register if you are accepted to attend LEAD 2018.

Where will LEAD 2018 take place?

LEAD 2018 will be held in Tulsa, OK.  Check out About Tulsa to learn more about our dynamic host city.

What can I expect when I attend LEAD 2018?

LEAD is Teach For America’s flagship leadership development experience for early admitted corps members. Participants will develop a strong understanding of Teach For America’s foundations and participate in a variety of experiences aimed to develop their leadership skills.  Early admits will begin forming a tight-knit, inclusive and welcoming community of leaders with other incoming corps members, staff and corps members/alumni. Review the Agenda for specific information about programming.

What are the dates and times of LEAD 2018?

LEAD programming will begin at 3:30pm CST on Thursday, July 12 and conclude after the closing dinner at 8:30pm CST Saturday, July 14.

When should I arrive and depart Tulsa?

You must arrive in Tulsa, OK by Thursday afternoon, July 12, by 1:30pm CST. Programming will open at 3:30pm CST on Thursday. You may depart the conference anytime Sunday morning, July 15. If flying, we encourage you to book your departure flight after 9:00am CST on Sunday so you have time to get to the airport and through security. If you are driving to LEAD, you may depart after the closing dinner on Saturday evening, July 13, though you are welcome to stay the evening and depart Sunday morning as well.

What costs will be covered by Teach For America?

Teach For America will cover the cost of airfare or mileage, double occupancy hotel rooms, all meals onsite, and local airport/ground transportation between the airport and hotel. We will provide snacks upon your arrival in Tulsa on Thursday afternoon, July 12, and grab-and-go breakfast items prior to your departure on Sunday morning, July 15.

All flights for 2019 Early Admits will be booked through a Teach For America website and lodging and transportation will be arranged by staff.  If you book on your own, you will not be reimbursed.

What costs will not be covered by Teach For America?

Teach For America will not be able to reimburse participants for any of the following costs:

• Checked Baggage Fees
• Flight change fees
• WiFi in-flight
• Gas
• Food in transit
• Transportation to and from your home airport
• Parking at your home airport  
• Room service, concessions, in-room meals and purchases billed to your hotel room
• Alcohol  
• Travel within Tulsa for non-LEAD related activities  
• Meals (for any meal that is being provided at LEAD)

Teach For America will cover your lodging at LEAD, organized meals, and transportation expenses from the time you land in Tulsa until you depart Tulsa. We will provide snacks upon your arrival on Thursday afternoon, July 12, and grab-and-go breakfast items prior to your departure on Sunday morning, July 15.

What costs can I expect to incur personally?

During travel, you may incur incidental expenses such as food in transit or airport parking. We encourage you to budget approximately $50 - $75 for incidentals, since the conference does not reimburse for expenses incurred outside of your time in Tulsa or for non-LEAD related activities.

Is there a registration fee?

There is no registration fee for LEAD 2018.

If I am flying to LEAD, what airport should I use?

Please fly into Tulsa International Airport (TUL). All Early Admit flights will be booked through a Teach For America website. If you book on your own, you will not be reimbursed.

Can I drive to LEAD?

If you are within driving distance you may opt to drive to Tulsa for LEAD. Teach For America will reimburse mileage at a rate of $0.545/mile with a maximum reimbursement of $350. This means the maximum reimbursable distance you may travel is approximately 321 miles each way.

What should I do if I have extenuating travel circumstances?

If you require alternative arrival/departure arrangements, or if you are unsure about your ability to attend, email precorps@teachforamerica.org with rationale before booking your travel. Since airline tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable in many cases, we must ensure fiscal responsibility by minimizing flight cancellations.

Can I attend if I can only be there for part of LEAD?

In an effort to be good stewards of our generous grant funding, we require that attendees participate in the full conference. Please ensure you can take time away from school/work prior to registering.

What happens if I need to cancel my registration after my travel is booked?

As attendee slots are limited, we strive to remain fiscally responsible while also maximizing the number of early admits invited to attend LEAD. Flights are one of the most expensive costs of LEAD, and we aren’t refunded for cancelled flights. When attendees book travel and then cancel their trip, the cost of the ticket is lost to the organization and we are unable to invite an additional attendee to take the place of a cancelled attendee.

As such, we strongly discourage the cancellation of travel and attendance without acceptable cause. In this context, we define acceptable cause for cancellation as unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances beyond the control of attendees, including, but not limited to:

a) Personal injury or illness

b) Unavoidable or unforeseen family emergencies

c) Natural disaster, war, civil disorder, or curtailment of transportation facilities

Scheduling conflicts, changes in desire to attend, professional obligations, and other avoidable circumstances are not considered acceptable cause. Attendees are expected to confirm their availability prior to confirming their registration and booking travel in order to avoid cancellation.

Who do I connect with if I need ADA accommodations?

Teach For America values differently-abled individuals and believes in their ability to address issues of educational inequity. We are committed to providing equal access and opportunities to candidates with legally recognizable disabilities. We are making every effort to assure our venues and facilities for LEAD are ADA accessible, and encourage you to email precorps@teachforamerica.org to inform us of any specific needs.

I am a nursing mother and will be traveling with my infant, will there be accommodations available?

We love babies at TFA and make every effort to accommodate all of our mothers. Email precorps@teachforamerica.org to inform us of any specific needs.

I have special dietary restrictions, will there be accommodations available?

Yes, we make every effort to provide food choices that reflect a variety of dietary restrictions. We will capture your specific dietary information through the registration process.

Will meditation space be available?

Yes, we will provide a quiet space which will be available for meditation, prayer and reflection.

How do you determine who can attend LEAD?

LEAD attendance is determined through an application process.

I am not sure that I will accept my offer to join the corps, can I still attend?

Absolutely. We invite you to apply to attend LEAD, and, if admitted, to join us in Tulsa to learn more about leadership development at Teach For America.

Is there a waitlist to attend LEAD?

LEAD attendance is determined through an application process, and there is a waitlist for those who are not admitted in the first application round. If you have been added to the waitlist for LEAD, you will receive your final attendance notification between June 18 and June 25.

How do I register and purchase my flight?

You will receive a link to register for LEAD 2018 upon your acceptance notification. If you are accepted in Round 1 of the LEAD application, you must register by Wednesday, May 23. If you are accepted in Round 2 of the LEAD application, you must register by Monday, June 25. We have a long waitlist of individuals hoping to attend LEAD this summer, so there is no flexibility in these registration deadlines.

Within 48 hours of completing your registration for LEAD you will receive an email directing you to a third-party website (Groupize), where you will book your travel to Tulsa, OK, and the cost of your flight will automatically be charged to Teach For America. You must book air travel using this process, as we are unable to reimburse you for travel booked on your own. Once you reserve your flight through Groupize, the LEAD planning team will review your reservation. PLEASE NOTE: The LEAD planning team does reserve the right to cancel travel that does not represent the most fiscally responsible option or deviates from the specified arrival and departure times. You will know your booking is approved and confirmed once you receive your flight itinerary via email.

If you need to arrive earlier or depart later than the specified arrival and departure windows, email precorps@teachforamerica.org with an explanation prior to reserving your flight, as these bookings will not be approved without additional context. Additionally, the LEAD planning team is unable to cover costs for any flight changes made after your flight is purchased and confirmed.

What do I do with my boarding pass?

As a non-profit organization, we have an obligation to remain fiscally compliant with our funders. A large part of our fiscal compliance is being able to justify the use of funding by keeping accurate records of funding utilization in the form of receipts. When it comes to airline travel, this means that we must keep a record of boarding passes from every segment of every flight taken. You are responsible for collecting paper copies of boarding passes (mobile/digital versions are insufficient in most cases) and submitting these to the LEAD planning team as evidence of your travel upon arrival and after departure from LEAD.

Where will we be staying?

LEAD will be hosted at the DoubleTree by Hilton Tulsa - Warren Place. The LEAD planning team will make your hotel room reservations, and you will share a double occupancy room with another early admitted 2019 corps member for the length of LEAD. Rooms consist of two beds and one private restroom. If you need alternate accommodations, email precorps@teachforamerica.org so that we may do our best to accommodate you.

Unfortunately, we are unable to pay for additional hotel nights outside of check-in (July 12) and check-out (July 15) or hotel room expenses beyond room rate and tax (room service, concessions, in-room purchases, etc). You will be asked to present a credit card at check-in to cover any incidentals. If you require accommodations outside of check-in and check-out dates, email precorps@teachforamerica.org.

What should I plan to pack/wear at LEAD?

Thursday afternoon/evening: Wear business casual attire for registration and programming.

Friday: You will be visiting schools and classrooms on Friday morning, so bring shoes you feel comfortable walking in, and prepare to dress in business casual attire in the morning.  In the afternoon, you will participate with community organizations in the activity you signed up for during registration.  Some projects may be outdoors, some may involve moving furniture or standing.  Be sure to pack and dress accordingly.  

Saturday: Attire for Saturday is casual. You will be spending most of the day at the hotel/conference site, and you should wear your LEAD 2018 t-shirt that you will receive at registration. The closing reception on Saturday evening will be a celebration off site at The Tulsa Zoo, so feel free to dress up for the occasion! (Cocktail attire is encouraged, though by no means necessary.) 

Additional information: you may want to exercise, participate in wellness activities or relax in the hotel pool during your free time, so consider packing a bathing suit and/or athletic wear/shoes.

Weather: Weather will be warm in Tulsa.  Highs are typically in the mid-90s and lows in the 70s with few days of rain in July. You will want to check the weather report as you prepare and (even though it’s hot outside) be sure to pack a light sweater or jacket since temperatures can vary in meeting spaces. Rain may be in the forecast, come prepared!

Who can I contact with questions?

Use our Contact Us page to submit your questions to the LEAD planning team.