About Teach For America
For 28 years, Teach For America has been leading the movement to give all students access to an excellent education by recruiting and training promising leaders to teach in low-income classrooms across the country.
Every year nearly 50,000 apply but less than 15% are selected – ensuring that Teach For America corps members are among the most highly certified and highest performing new teachers.
Today, this leadership force is 56,000 strong nationally and 1,500 strong here in New Jersey. We are ensuring that children are receiving high-quality education while cultivating the next generation of educational leadership.
Learn more at our website.
Statewide Impact
Teach For America- New Jersey has funneled talent into high-need schools for over twenty-six years. The result? A statewide leadership force that is fueling change across New Jersey.
While just 15% of applicants intended to go into education, over 85% remain in mission-aligned fields. Today, our network of 1,500 teachers, school leaders, policy makers, and professionals in related fields are having an impact on the education system for children across the state.
TFA Leadership Influences Every Level of the Education System
Leading Classrooms
Today 550 Teach for America teachers directly serve 30,000 New Jersey students.
Andrew Paulsen, right, won a Fulbright Distinguished Teacher award for his work at Newark's East Side High School. Of the 75 Newark students who passed the Geometry PARCC exam, 25 came from Andrew’s class.
Leading Schools
Today, 50 TFA alumni serve as school leaders across New Jersey.
Charity, right, co-founded the BRICK school network. Two years ago, BRICK Peshine ranked 2nd of all Newark schools for the most student growth. Many of Newark's highest performing schools are run by TFA alumni.
Leading School Systems
Many alumni take on expanded leadership in education, and both Newark and Camden recently had Teach For America alumni as Superintendents.
Paymon, right, served as Superintendent of Camden City Schools for 5 years. Under his leadership, graduation rates rose 21% and suspension rates fell by 20%.
Leading Organizations
Harvard and the American Enterprise Institute found that more founders of entrepreneurial education organizations started their careers with TFA than anywhere else.
Over the last 5 years, 42 Teach For America alumni have been named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list.
