What does Teach for America do?

Teach For America (TFA) is a nonprofit organization established in 1990 by Wendy Kopp. It recruits recent college graduates and professionals to teach for two years in low-income urban and rural K-12 public and charter schools across the United States. TFA's mission is to promote educational excellence and equity, aiming to double the number of children in its communities reaching key educational milestones by 2030. TFA selects corps members from top universities, providing them with five weeks of intensive training, ongoing support, and mentorship. Currently, about 4,100 corps members serve over 270,000 students in more than 1,800 schools. The organization emphasizes leadership development, encouraging alumni to become advocates and leaders in education. Since its inception, over 72,000 leaders have participated, with a significant portion identifying as people of color and coming from low-income backgrounds. TFA operates in 52 low-income communities nationwide, focusing on addressing educational inequity through exceptional teaching and community engagement.