Teach For America (TFA) is an American non-profit organization that aims to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting high-achieving recent college graduates and professionals to teach for two or more years in low-income communities throughout the United States.

Since 1990, nearly 33,000 leaders have joined Teach For America to help move us closer to that vision. As corps members and alumni, they have reached more than 3 million students across 43 urban and rural communities, founded dozens of high-performing schools, boldly led school districts and charter management organizations, and helped pass groundbreaking education legislation. In the 2011-12 school year, more than 9,000 corps members will teach 600,000 students while nearly 24,000 alumni will continue to deepen their impact as educational leaders and advocates.

Originally serving only 6 regions, Teach For America will be active in 43 regions in the 2011-12 school year.

Teach For America recruits recent college graduates and professionals to teach for two years in urban and rural communities throughout the United States. The goal of Teach For America is for its corps members to make a short-term impacts on their students in addition to becoming lifelong leaders in pursuing educational equality. Corps members attend an intensive five-week summer institute to prepare for their commitment. Teach For America teachers are placed in schools in urban areas such as New York City and Houston, as well as in rural places such as eastern North Carolina and the Mississippi Delta. They then serve for two years and are usually placed in schools with other Teach For America corps members.

Teach For America teachers are full-fledged faculty members at their schools, receiving the normal school district salary and benefits as well as a modest AmeriCorps "education voucher" (which can be used to pay for credentialing courses, cover previous student loans or fund further education after the two-year commitment).

How They Do It

Enlisting Committed Individuals
They recruit a diverse group of leaders with a record of achievement who work to expand educational opportunity, starting by teaching for two years in a low-income community.

Investing in Leaders
They provide intensive training, support and career development that helps these leaders increase their impact and deepen their understanding of what it takes to close the achievement gap.

Accelerating Impact
A growing movement of leaders, now 33,000 strong, works at every level of education, policy and other professions, to ensure that all children can receive an excellent education.