The Alien Infiltration is Complete - Carper Heralds TFA Headquarters in Wilmington

I used to like TFA.  I was happy when Markell signed legislation a few years back that brought TFA to Delaware.  I was in love with the mirage, young educators coming into hardened city schools to inspire engagement and success. Then I did my research.  Five weeks of summer training for college grads that don't have any education background.  Statistics that show the TFA-ers don't stay in education.  Overhead to the TFA organization in addition to salaries.  You've heard it all before.  I won't digress...

June 16, 2011


Teach For America Establishes Delaware Office; Brings Nearly 30 New Teachers to Join Local Efforts to Expand Educational Opportunity

Teach For America-Delaware Welcomes New Teachers While Many Alumni Continue in Education

WILMINGTON —Teach For America announced today the launch of a Teach

For America-Delaware region headquartered in Wilmington. The organization has placed teachers in Delaware schools since 2009, as part of its Mid-Atlantic region, and now will operate an independent regional office led by a local Wilmington-based team. In addition, Teach For America will welcome nearly 30 new teachers who will begin teaching in Delaware schools this fall as part of the largest national entering corps in the organization’s history. During the 2011-2012 school year, 45 first-and second-year corps members, teaching alongside other dedicated educators, will reach 3,000 students in high-need public schools across the greater Wilmington area.

“Ensuring that every child has access to an excellent education has long been one of my top priorities, particularly when I served as Delaware’s Governor,” Senator Tom Carper said. “I am thrilled to learn that Teach For America will open a Delaware-region headquarters in Wilmington, and look forward to their efforts as a strong and effective partner in education in our state. As we continue to make strides to improve the education of our students across the First State, through Race to the Top and other critical reforms, we are grateful that Teach For America is continuing to build a strong presence in Delaware. Educational excellence for all students is critical to the success of our state and our country, and Teach For America teachers are determined to help ensure our students reach their full potential.”

This year, Teach For America’s talent pool was the most competitive ever: Nearly 48,000 individuals applied, and 11 percent were accepted. Teach For America’s new national corps totals 5,200 teachers who are top graduates from colleges and universities across the country. These corps members represent a wide variety of personal and academic backgrounds and professional experiences. One-third identify as people of color, including 12 percent who are African American and 8 percent who are Hispanic. Twenty-two percent are the first in their family to graduate from college, and nearly one-third received Pell Grants. Twenty-three percent are graduate students or professionals.

Teach For America is building a strong pipeline of leaders in education. Two-thirds of Teach For America alumni are working full-time in the field, including many alumni who are launching innovative efforts to expand educational opportunity.

Teach For America began bringing corps members to Delaware two years ago as state and school district leaders sought an additional pipeline of effective teachers to help address the region’s significant achievement gap. During the 2011-12 school year, the organization will partner with Red Clay and Christina school districts, the Latin American Community Center and local charter schools.

“Teachers selflessly devote themselves to ensuring that our children are properly educated to succeed in tomorrow’s economy,” Senator Chris Coons said. “I’m delighted by the announcement that Teach For America will expand its program in Delaware. Teach For America has a record of training highly qualified recent college graduates to teach in the country’s toughest schools. These teachers work tirelessly alongside other great educators in the state to facilitate an educational atmosphere that encourages students to reach their highest potential.”

A broad coalition of community groups, corporations, local philanthropists, and school leaders have offered ongoing support of Teach For America’s presence in the state. Lead investors include the Rodel Foundation, the Longwood Foundation and the Delaware Business Roundtable.

“I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of Delaware’s current TFA members and those who will start in the fall,” said Rodel Foundation President and CEO Paul A. Herdman, Ed.D. “They’re a great group of talented and energetic individuals committed to closing the achievement gap. We are glad they’re here to help build the ranks of great teachers working with our most needy children.”

A growing body of rigorous research demonstrates the effectiveness of Teach For America corps members in the classroom. Recent studies from Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee found that corps members have a positive impact on student achievement. The Tennessee study identified Teach For America as the most effective of the state’s 42 teacher-preparation programs, with corps members demonstrating a greater impact on student achievement than the average new teacher in every evaluated subject area.

In conjunction with announcing its new Wilmington headquarters, Teach For America named Joe Moorman as the founding executive director of Teach For America-Delaware. As a 2007 corps member, Moorman taught seventh- and eighth-grade English and coached the basketball team at his school in Philadelphia. After teaching, Moorman joined Teach For America’s staff, managing the Mid-Atlantic region’s corporate and foundation partnerships. Moorman holds a B.A. in political science from Xavier University, and a Master’s of Urban Education degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

“I’m thrilled to lead Teach For America’s efforts in Delaware and to welcome our new corps members to classrooms this fall,” Moorman said. “These new teachers are eager to join our community’s efforts to expand educational opportunity for all of our kids. They are poised to have a real impact both as corps members and as long-term educators and leaders in our city.”

About Teach For America

Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in expanding educational opportunity. This fall, 9,300 corps members will be teaching in 43 regions across the country, while nearly 24,000 Teach For America alumni continue working from inside and outside the field of education for the fundamental changes necessary to ensure educational excellence and equity. For more information, visithttp://www.teachforamerica.orghttp://www.teachforamerica.org/.