Each year, many top university graduates join Teach for America, or “TFA” for short. TFA builds a diverse, selective corps of top college graduates who commit two years to work as teachers in low-income communities and become lifelong leaders in pursuit of educational excellence and equity.
Remarkably, despite accepting only 21 percent of program applicants, more Brown University seniors are headed to Teach for America next year than to any other single employer in this year’s graduating class! TFA also recruits from other Rhode Island colleges.
TFA impacts more than 2.5 million students in 29 communities. Research shows TFA teachers raise student achievement more than traditionally certified teachers. Beyond the classroom effects, the long-term impact is profound: two thirds of TFA alumni still work in the education field, many as leaders. TFA alumni include the founders of KIPP charter schools, the chancellor of Washington, DC Public Schools (Michelle Rhee), and more than 280 school principals serving low-income children — including an Assistant Principal here in Providence.
I held a reception last week in my Providence home to honor this year’s recruits, most graduating from Brown, and we were honored to welcome many Rhode Island educational leaders. The event honored 35 amazing young people who next year will enter TFA, along with about 15 TFA alumni. Some of our distinguished guests who came to applaud these aspiring teachers included Governor Carcieri and the First Lady, General Treasurer Caprio, Education Commissioner Peter McWalters, Regents Chairman Bob Flanders, Regent Karin Forbes, Regent and Central Falls School Board Chair Anna Cano Morales, Providence Deputy Supt. Tomas Hanna, leaders from the RIDE certification team, and others. It was an exciting evening to learn about Teach for America and congratulate these young people for their commitment. Even Channel 10 WJAR was here; they’re working on a long-lead profile that will air in the coming months. We had over 75 people turn out — truly a special night to congratulate these young TFAers!
Why were so many policymakers in attendance? Unfortunately, current Rhode Island regulations don’t allow TFA corps members to teach here. We witnessed “brain drain” in action, as every young teacher we met last week will soon graduate from Brown and leave for Louisiana, New York, Connecticut, or one of many states that welcome TFA. But there’s good news: leaders from RIDE and the Board of Regents may in coming months reexamine our alternative teacher certification regulations to allow Teach for America and similar programs to place teachers in Rhode Island classrooms. In the months ahead we will need your help to encourage policymakers to make these changes so we can keep these talented young people in Rhode Island!
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