DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 354 664 EC 301 840

TITLE . Information Bulletin #34. INSTITUTION National Association of State Directors of Special Education, , D.C.; National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education, Reston, VA. SPONS AGENCY Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE Apr 90 CuNTRACT G0087C3053-88/89 NOTE 22p.; Newspaper/magazine excerpts may notcopy adequately. PUB TYPE Reports - Descriptive (141)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Alternative Teacher Certification; Beginning Teachers; *Change Strategies; Elementary Secondary Education; Higher Education; Institutes (Training Programs); *Preservice Teacher Education; Program Development; Rural Education; Summer Programs; *Teacher Placement; *Teacher Recruitment; *Teacher Shortage; Teacher Supply and Demand; Urban Education; Urban Teaching IDENTIFIERS *Teach for America

ABSTRACT This document describes "Teach for America,"a program which recruits outstanding college students who may not otherwise have considered teaching, provides them withan intensive training program, and places them for 2years of teaching in inner-city and rural school districts with persistentteacher shortages. The report addresses:(1) the organization (history, advisers and directors, and staff);(2) the need (the shortage of teachers in specific areas, the shortage of teacherswho are of color, and an impending general teacher shortage);(3) the rationale (capitalizing on student idealism and indecision,and countering the major factors discouraging students from entering teaching); (4) program overview;(5) recruitment and selection (recruitmentat 100 top colleges and universities, and selection criteria);(6) training (faculty, site, curriculum, and key ideas);(7) placement (locations, certification, salaries);(8) support (within the school and external); (9) evaluation (of bothprogram and participants); (10) the context of the program (including broader effortsto recruit teachers and broader efforts to professionalize teachingand restructure schools);(11) program contributors; and (12) reprintsof mass media articles about the program. (pH)

**************************************::*-...**********************i.AA*** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best thatcan be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** a

THE NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE The Nalonal AuovaionolSun* Ins Council for Rectors of Sosc2ai Education EOP Children FOR PROFESSIONS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION

INFORMATION BULLETIN #34

U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Educahonal Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) -ar....sdocument has been reproduced as the person or organization

( changes have been made to improve reprdduchon duality

PO.ntS 01 tree or ocemons stated ,n thsclocu. men! do not necessarily represent off OE R. pos.1.0n or policy

TEACH FOR AMERICA

1/4\r) National Clearinghouse for ProLssions in Special Education Professions Information Center The Council for Exceptional Children 1920 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 22091 703/264-9474 9 BEST COPYAVAILABLE Info. Bull. t34

(non- Teach for America is a new programdesigned to persuade college seniors education majors) to sign up for aminimum of two years of teachingafter offered on repaying student loansunder graduation. In return, a deferment is the provisions of the HigherEducation Act amendments of 1985. permit liberal Some 20 states have enactedalternative licensing programs that teachers. As a arts graduates and otherswithout education degrees to work as Teach for result, in districts with teachershortages - the kinds of places America aims to reach - temporaryteaching certificates are routinely provided. for This packet includes, among otherthings, information regarding Teach America's recruitment procedure, thetraining of teachers, placement, support given, and a listing of collegesand universities which arerecruitment targets. A For further inforTion, contact:

TEACH FOR AMERICA P.O. Box 5114 , N.Y. 10185 212/974-2456

This document was prepared pursuant to Grant No. G0087C3053-88189 with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.Agencies undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express their Judgment freely In professional and technical matters, Points of view and opinions do not,therefore, necessarily represent official Department of Education position or policy. The total amount of Federal funds appropriated for the projectis $236,959. One hundred percent of the total cost of theproject Is financed with Federal funds.

Publications of the National Clearinghousefor Professions in Special Education are in the public domain, and maybe reprinted. Proper citation of source(s) is appreciated. Info. Bull, #34

We havea vision ofan America where millionsof the nation'sbest minds competeto enter the profession ofteaching and the of education. field Our ImmediateObjectives To recruit a group of outstanding individualswho may not have otherwise consideredteaching To meet the needs of inner-city and ruralschool districts wh';h have persistentteacher shortages, people of color, bilingual especially of and elementaryteachers, and secondary teachers of math,science, and foreign languages

To train, place, and support the corps membersin such a way that their two years havea positive impact on the children they teach and on their owncommitment to America's educationalsystem Our Goals

To revolutionize the way Americans view teaching,so that they see it as a challengingprofession demanding nation's best minds the

To create acorps of individuals who, in education whether they remain or move on to businessor government or law, will spend their livesworking to improve system the educational

To make a significantcontribution to teacher training, and support recruitment, Info. Bull. t34

TheOrganization

her senior thesis the creationof an History at PrincetonUniversity proposed in Last year, a student active recruitment, a shorttime commitment, a the Corps model organization that would use intensive training institute,and a placement and application process, an teaching. Initial funding selective and centralized individuals who wouldnot otherwise consider support mechanismto attract FOR AMERICA possible. corporations made thecreation of TEACH working to from a number of at 100 collegesand universities is Today, a network ofCampus RepresentativesAMERICA. And a team ofrecent graduates of student supportfor TEACH FOR corps members, build a broad base has come togetherto raise funds, recruit from a number ofcolleges and universities and support mechanismthat will enable training Institute, andbuild a placement construct a summer teacher shortage. uncertified individuals toteach in areas of

Board of Advisers business, government,and education The Board of Advisers,comprised of prominent experience and guidance. leaders, provides valuable Corporation Joseph Alibrandi -Chairman & CEO, Whittaker john Carter - President& CEO, The Equitable Chairman & CEO. XeroxCorporation David T. Kearns - Standards President, National Boardfor Professional Teaching James A. Kelly - CEO, Union CarbideCorporation Robert ID. Kennedy -Chairman. President, & Jr - Chairman Emeritus,McGraw-Hill, Inc. Harold W. McGraw. Commission of the States Frank Newman -President. Education Superintendent, San DiegoSchool District Thomas Pan= - Post Company Vincent E. Reed -Vice President. Washington Vincent A. Sarni - Chairman& CEO, PPG Industries EaticalLactuyanz - President,Catalyst Cyanamid Corporation George J. Sella - Chairman& CEO, American & Sons William E. Simon -Chairman, William E. Simon Illinois James Thompson -Governor of the State of Robert E. Wvcoft -President & COO, ARCO

Board of Directors in education, teaching, of individuals chosenfor their experience The Board is a group non-profits. service among collegestudents, and starting through a non- recruiting, promoting from Princeton in 1987and entered teaching Matt Bardin - teacher,; graduated AMERICA proposes. traditional route similar tothat TEACH FOR of Recruiting NewTeachers. director, IndependentEducational Services; founder Rick Belding - executive ACCESS: Networking in thePublic Interest. Jim Clark - executivedirector and founder, Boston. founders of City-Year, anurban in Jennifer Eolett - one of the University; first director of thefederal teacher corps. Richard Graham -professor, George Washington AMERICA. Wendy K000-founder, TEACH FOR Amroc Investments. Andxjjipman - vice president, founded Campus OutreachOpportunity League. director, Bonner Foundation; Coordinator, National Symposia on Wayne Meise( executive former teacher and principal; Susan Otterbourq -educational consultant; and in Partnerships in Education. involved in founding theCollege for Human Services Laura Pim programofficer, Gould Foundation; Schools projects. many Community formerly with National UrbanLeague. Leslie Talbot -educational consultant;

FOR AMERICA. Staff college graduates isworking to create TEACH A group of recent of is:bright Scholarship. Skidmore '89; published writerand musician; recipient Bruce Baker business-education projects for theCommittee for Economic '89; worked on Richard jiagh - Harvard project to provide Bostonstudents with tutors. Development and helped createand run CHANCE, a promoted the discussion of '89; founded and headed astudent organization which Lisa Bornstein - Harvard in summer program atWellesley College. psychological inquiry; taughtjunior high school students 2 J BEST COPY MI MI Info. Bull. 034

Sonia Brooking Brown '89, Phi Beta Kappa; tutored and substitute taught in public schools. Jose CaleraWilliams '89; founder and coordinator of Latin American Organization; advised and tutored high school and college students. jarafitagagkagLa, - Harvard '89; tutored adult reading and writing and elementary ESL; research experience in public policy, specific work in the increasing political power of minority groups. joelle-Jude FontaineBerkeley '87; experience advising and counseling Berkeley students. Michael Gilligan Columbia '86; served in the Peace Corps as a rural infrastructure development agent; coached crew. Paul HaaertStanford '87; taught math in Malawi, Africa, in the Peace Corps; organized physical education/nutrition program for elementary school children in economically depressed area. Ian HuschleHarvard '88; taught one year at the American School of Tangier ; launched a private venture in foreign trade; board of directors of Phillips Brooks House, a social work corporation of over 1000 volunteers. Matt IrvineColumbia '89; tutored and taught inner-city students in San Francisco and New York. Guilaine dean- Pier eWilliams '89; co-founder & associate editor of Williams Journal of African-American Studies. AlliJernowHarvard '89; taught English to students and professors at Nanjing University; provided tutoring, job advocacy, and health care at the largest homeless shelter in Boston. Wendy K000 Princeton '89; ran a student corporation with a staff of 60 and a budget of $1.5 million. Wendy LewisDuke '88; developed customized promotional campaigns for internation,' corporation; tutored mentally handicapped students in English and mathematics. Daniel Oscar Princeton '88; just returned from a year of teaching in China; tutored, taught and advised at the college and secondary levels. aonnet RetmartPrinceton '89; tutored elementary school children; researched area of urban cultures. Susan Short Stanford '86; just returned from teaching in Lesotho with the Peace Corps. Doug Shullman Williams '89; founded, financed & managed 100-employee branch of national corporation; ski instructor, soccer coach, and backpacking leader. Edith SilverColumbia '89; co-directed a camp for children from a woman's shelter; worked in fundraising and strategic planning for non-profit groups. Kimberly Smith. Columbia '89; experience evaluating business-education partnerships. Whitney TilsortHarvard '89; owned a 40-person painting company and served on the Board of Directors of the $2 million Harvard Student Agencies. Info. Bull. #34

The Need

The problems in the educational system are well publicized. We have heard that700,000 students drop out each year; that students in the UnitedStates consistently score below those of almost all other industrialized nations in math and science; that morethan 75 percent of 17-year-olds are unable to write an adequate analytic essay;and that the has an illiteracy rate of 30 percent while those of our competitors in Europe andAsia are around 10 percent.

TEACH FOR AMERICA's premise is that the future of the schools depends in large part on two factors: (1) the creativity, intellect, and drive of those whostaff the schools; and (2) the extent to which the nation's leaders have experience in and a commitment to the schools.

TEACH FOR AMERICA, which addresses both of those demands, is thus a critical elementof the movement to reform and restructure our public schools. It will alsoaddress some immediate, concrete needs: The Shortage of Teachers in Inner-City and Rural Areas In some areas, teacher shortages persist even in times of general teacher surplus and even as the teaching profession in general increases in appeal, for they are functions offactors that may never go awaydangerous working conditions, poor location, lack of community and parental support, lack of resources, and so on. The Shortage of Teachers in Math. Science, and Foreign Languages Even large, suburban schools have problems attracting teachers in science, math, bilingual education, foreign languages, and special education. For example, 72 percent of high school principals reported in 1986 a difficulty in hiring fully qualified applicants for teaching vacancies in physics; 62 percent, computer science; 57 percent, mathematics; and 52 percent, foreign languages. The Shortage of TC tQUIgralal Even as an increasing percentage of elementary and secondary school students are African- American and Latino, the teaching profdssion attracts a small and decreasing percentage of black and hispanic teachers. While people of color will make up 33 percent of the school-age population by the year 2000, it is projected that they will make up only 5 percent ofthis nation's teaching force. This shortage deprives students of color of role models and deprives all children of the opportunity to learn from individuals who reflect the ethnic diversity of this nation. An Impending Teacher Shortage of Unprecedented Proportions Virtually all accounts project that the demand for teachers will increase dramatically in the coming years. The National Center for Education Statistics predicts that total yearly demand for new teachers will increase 35 percent by 1995. It projects that schools will have to hire 1.5 million new teachers between 1988 and 1997. The increase in demand results primarily from a simultaneous increase in school enrollments and teacher retirements. As children of the baby boom parents enter the school system, enrollment will increase by 4 million, or nine percent, by 1997. And the National Education Association reports that because the teacher population has greyed significantly over the past two decades, as many as 900,000 of the nation's 2.3 million teachers will retire by the turn of the century. Info. Bull. 134

The Rationale

TEACH FOR AMERICA counters the five major factors that currently discourage the most outstanding graduates, in particular people of color and those who have majored in math and science, from entering the teaching profession. And it capitalizes on two campus sentiments idealism and indecisionto attract talented individuals.

Factors that discourage outstanding non-aducatIon relators from What TEACH adhering taachIng FOR AMERICA (71campus does mood

Low Builds a teacher sans. of pay service

Maximizes Poor image publicity & of teaching Idealism selectivity

Low Recruits awareness of HUNDREDS teaching actively of groat opportunities recrultalll!

Complicated Centralizes system of entry recruitment, into profession training, & placement

Weafth of other Requires UMW 2-year initial opportunities commitment

BEST COPYAVAILABLE --5 Info. Bull. #34

Program Overview

The following display capsulizes the TEACH FOR AMERICA operations.Programmatic details are discussed further in the following pages.

Support & Recruitment Ongoing & Selection Training

Areas of Training Local Offices: Alumni Campus Reps Institute teacher Network Advisory shortage Orientatio Committee Mentoring Resources Candidates Coordinator Urban Rural Social Events apply: of Faculty Symposia Written National Support application, Faculty groups Interview, Copy Teaching The Institute: Facilities session Education that is multicultural Student Final Selection teaching Teaching strategies Classroom management Curriculum development

6 Info. Bull. 034

Recruitment & Selection

Recruitment Targets TEACH FOR AMERICA is recruiting actively at 100 of the nation's top colleges and universities, selected according a variety of measures including size, selectivity, and minority enrollment.

AL Tuskegee University MI University of Michigan CA Claremont-McKenna 141 Carleton College Harvey Mudd College Macalester Pomona College University of Minnesota Stanford University MO Washington University-St. Louis University of CA - Berkeley NC Davidson College University of CA - L.A. Duke University University of CA - Santa Cruz University of University of CA - Wake Forest University University of Southern California NH CO University of - Boulder NJ CT College Rutgers University Trinity College NY City College Wesleyan University Colgate University Yale University Columbia University CC Cornell University Howard University Hamilton College DE University of New York University FL University of Florida Rennselaer Polytechnic Inst. University of Miami SUNY - Albany GA Emory University SUNY - Binghamton Georgia Institute of Technology SUNY - Buffalo Morehouse College Syracuse University Vassar College IA University of Iowa OH Case Western University Grinnell Miami University IL Northwestern University Oberlin College University of OR Reed College University of Illinois - Urbana PA Bryn Mawr College IN University of Notre-Dame Bucknell University LA Tulane University Carnegie Mellon University MA Amherst College Franklin & Marshall Haverford College Brandeis University Lafayette Lehigh Holy Cross Swarthmore College University of Penn State Massachusetts Institute of rechnology University of Pennsylvania RI Brown University TN Fisk University Tufts University Vanderbilt University Wellesley College TX Rice University Williams College Trinity University Worcester Polytechnic University of Texas - Austin MD Johns Hopkins University Texas A & M University of Maryland VA College of William & Mary ME Bates College University of Virginia Colby College Washington & Lee Bowdoin College WA University of Washington VT Middlebury College WI University of Wisconsin-Madison

7 3 Info. Bull. #34

Campus Representatives Seeking to build a broad base of student support for TEACH FOR AMERICA, we identified 100 student leaders ("Campus Representatives") who launchedTEACH FOR AMERICA on each of the 100 colleges and universities. The Campus Representatives came together December 1-3 at PrincetonUniversity and left ready to create TEACH FOR AMERICA chapters involving campus leadersfrom organizations representing different ethnic, academic, and extra-curricular interests. These chapters are planning and executing informational sessions and speeches, distribution of information and fliers, advertising, and the like. On February 10, 1990, the Campus Representatives pulled off a simultaneous "TEACH FOR AMERICA Day" when each campus hosted the Class of 2001 (fifth-graders) from a local public school for a day of educational events. This symbolic event focused campus attention on teaching and education and TEACH FOR AMERICA. Selection Process A three-stage selection process enables us to select a corps of the most outstanding, committed graduating seniors.A team of twelve trained recruiters travel from campus to campus to meet and evaluate all candidates on the basis of a written application, a standard-format interview, and a practice teaching session. TEACH FOR AMERICA recruiters do not aim for a certain quantity of corps members but base their decisions solely on the strength of each individual candidate. The recruiters evaluate each candidate according to a number of criteria: persistence commitment integrity enthusiasm adaptability, creativity, and flexibility multicultural sensitivity independence and assertiveness ability to work within an organization conceptual ab.lity and intellect oral communication skills written communication skills ability to operate without the approval of students possession of self-evaluative skills capacity for organization and preparation The recruiters must determine the answer to the question, "Do you absolutely want this person to be a Charter Member of TEACH FOR AMERICA?' and then rate the candidate on the following scale: Exceptional, Outstanding, Great, Good Fair, Poor, Terrible. TEACH FOR AMERICA accepts only those candidates who recruiters "absolutely" want in the corps and who rate as either exceptional, outstanding, or great.From the "accepted" pool, TEACH FOR AMERICA places those candidates who demonstrate the coursework and qualifications which districts specify as desirable. Commitment Corps members will make an initial commitment of two years. They will agree to attend the expense-paid summer training Institute and to assume a teaching position in the assigned location, at the salary which a district would traditionally pay an individual with similar qualifications. Info. Bull. 134

Training

This intensive 15-hours-a-day, six-days-a-weekInstitute will serve only as the first important step for helping each corps memberbecome a craftsperson in the teaching profession. Each member will leave the institute knowing that they areoff to a terrific start toward becoming a dynamic teacher and, equally as important, theywill leave knowing that they still have much to learn. Institute Advisory Committee The Institute Advisory Committee met this past fall to draft a designand curriculum for the Institute.It included a number of thought leaders in teacher training, includingMyrna Cooper of the United Federation of Teachers in New York; CarlGrant, a specialist in multicultural education and a professor at the University of Wisconsin; Pearl Kane, aprofessor at Columbia Teachers College; Vito Perrone, director of Harvard's teacher education program;Marilyn Rauth of the American Federation of Teachers; and Jim Steffensen, who was active in the design andevaluation of the teacher corps Corps Member Training Institutes. Coordinator of Curriculum & Instruction The coordinator is Carl Grant, chairman of the African-AmericanStudies Department and professor of education at the University of Wisconsin. He was activein the design and executive of the Corps Member Training Institutes of the federal teacher corps. The Faculty A national faculty of approximately fifty carefully selected outstandingeducators (elementary. secondary, and university) will be responsible for instruction andprofessional development at the Institute. Each faculty member will have proven, in-depth knowledge andexperience in a subject area or grade-level area. The faculty will include expertteachers of science, math, reading, language, and learning and motivational theory.It will also include expert teachers of multicultural education and home-school relations. All of the faculty members will have experiences in workingin urban or rural educational settings. Some of the faculty members will be from locations atwhich the corps members will be placed after the Institute. The Site The Institute will take place on the University of Southern California campusin from June 17 through August 11. The rich cultural environment and a year-roundschool system which provides extensive opportunities for student teaching make LosAngeles an ideal location for the Institute.All faculty and corps members will rer.ide in one dormitory during the eightweeks. Institute Design and Structure Corps members will be grouped into five houses. Each house will haveapproximately fifty elementary and fifty secondary corps members. Ten faculty members will be the oncall" instructional staff for each house. Corps members will spend almost haft of their time at the Institute student teachingunder the guidance of Institute faculty. The remainder of their time will be spentin discussion groups and classes. Curriculum The Institute will impart strategies in teaching, classroom management, andcurriculum development and will seek also to acquaint corps members with current issues in education aswell as the social context of the schools. Three overarching themes professionalism, reflection, and mutticutturaiismwill run throughout the instruction. Following is a working grid of the curriculum design. COMPONENTS OF THE INSTITUTE IDEAS TO EMPHASIZE THROUGHOUT THE CURRICULUM

Professionalism Reflection Multiculturalism

o Source of responsibility o Problem solving o Experiences for the o Collegiality o Faculty models strategies participants o Changing roles of o Context and approach for teachers use in their own o Complexityof teaching classroom and scii.-.ol

I. Teacher as manager

o Classroom and group management o Discipline o Developmental psych

II. Teacher as leader of active learning

o Brief overview of educational philosophies o Teaching strategies o Learning theory/how students learn o The exceptional child

III. Teacher as curriculum leader

o Curriculum and planning o Content area o Assessment o Innovation o Utilizing resources o Different approaches for reading & writing across the curriculum

IV. Teacher In social context

o Education that is multicultural o Reality of social issues impacting the classroom o Specific cultures of the district

V. Teacher within organizations

o School as social organization o District structures and roles o Community/parent involvement

1 10 3 BESTCOPY AVAILABLE Info. Bull. #34

Placement

Locations TEACH FOR AMERICA will cluster corps members in major urban centers and rural areas across the United States.Districts applied to be chosen as one of the placement sites. In choosing among them, the organization has two major goals: (1) to mitigate teacher shortages: and (2) to provide corps members with an experience that will encourage them to remain active in the field of education. At this point it is likely that TEACH FOR AMERICA will place in the following areas: New York City Chicago Los Angeles & Baton Rouge rural North Carolina rural Georgia Certification While the Institute will result in some credits toward teacher certification, it will not be sufficient to enable corps members to meet standard certification requirements. Therefore, TEACH FOR AMERICA members will teach under 'waivers" or alternative certification programs that are now available to school districts which experience shortages. Salaries School districts will pay the corps members as they would any full teacher with similar experience and qualifications.Salaries range between $17,000 and $29,000.

11 Info. Bull. 034

Support

Within the School Each corps member will have the internal supportof the school principal and of a mentor teacher, both of whom will be available toprovide information and advice. Eixternal Local TEACH FOR AMERICA offices willcoordinate a support system that will involve: an orientation weekend/week an orientation for mentors ongoing training through ties with local universities a link with a retired teachers network small support groups communication with TEACH FOR AMERICA schools community links a housing/banking/health/living hotline local newsletter clearinghouse of educational resources copy facilities social events personal check-ins with TEACH FOR AMERICA teachers

Follow-Up TEACH FOR AMERICA corps groups will remain powerful andinfluential groups even after their two years in service. Whether the corpsmembers continue in teaching or go on to business or government or law or medicine, they will have avenuesand opportunities through which to help improve the American educational system. A strong alumni network,with reunions and conferences and newsletters, will ensure that the TEACHFOR AMERICA spirit never dies. Info. Bull. #34

Evaluation

TEACH FOR AMERICA 's first evaluation will begin with the training Institute and will then follow the corps members through their two-year experience.Its purposes are twofold:

(1) To provide an internal guide for program development; and

(2) To say something to the outside world about the desirability of the TEACH FOR AMERICA recruitment, training, and support models.

i,nong other things, the evaluation will demonstrate

how TEACH FOR AMERICA corps members compare with the average new teacher population in terms of grades, interests, perspective, NTE scores, etc.

how the TEACH FOR AMERICA Institute affected the corps members' perspective and knowledge base, and what the corps members thought of it

how the TEACH FOR AMERICA support system affected the corps members' experience, and what the corps members thought of it

how the TEACH FOR AMERICA corps members' overall experience compares with that of the average new traditionally certified teacher

how principals and mentor teachers evaluate the effectiveness of TEACH FOR AMERICA corps members, using traditionally certified new teachers as a reference point TEACH FOR AMERICA InContext

So much is happening today in the areas of teacher recruitment, and teacher professionalization that there exists a legitimatefear that new efforts will duplicate or, worse, run counter to existing movements.Yet TEACH FOR AMERICA is a unique effort to improve the quality and quantity of the teaching force.It will complement current efforts to attract teachers and to professionalize teaching and restructure the educational system. Efforts to Recruit Teachers States, localities, the federal government, and the private sector have taken anumber of steps to attract more, better teachers. Over thirty states have recently mandated minimum salaries, and others haveinstituted across-the-board pay raises. By 1988, 35 had offered scholarships orforgivable loans to students agreeing to teach after graduation. Over twenty states haveimplemented some form of alternative certification, which enables liberal arts graduates and mid-careerprofessionals to enter teaching through a shortened version of pedagogical training. Yetthese efforts do not appear to have the capacity to eliminate problems in teacher quality and quantity.Few believe it is possible to raise salaries to a level that would make teaching competitive with otherprofessions. Studies of scholarship and loan forgiveness programs reveal that they do little torecruit those who would not have entered the teaching profession anyway. And analysts of alternatecertification programs conclude that they do not demonstrate the capacity to solve persistentgeographic shortages. Recently, Senator Edward Kennedy has proposed the creation of a "teacher corps." Through his bill,local states and school districts would receive more money in order to provide recruitment and incentives for college students who_commit to five years in teaching.If the Kennedy bill does pass, it will attract a different pool of individuals thanTEACH FOR AMERICA will. TEACH FOR AMERICA targets a unique niche of individualsthose with the most other career opportunities and seeks to attract them by creating a powerful sense of service, selectivity, and status.It will attract graduates who realize that they have an unlimited number of opportunities and are unwilling tocommit to five years in any occupation. The private sector is also making a number of efforts to help attract teachers. The National Executive Service Corps retrains retired executives to teach, and a number of companies arealso sponsoring mid-career people to enter teaching. TEACH FOR AMERICAis similar to these efforts, butwill recruit from a different pool and will place them nationally. Another significant private-sector effort, Recruiting New Teachers, uses public service announcements and an 800 number to focus positive attention on teaching and toprovide interested individuals information about entering teaching.It also provides a list of respondents to institutions which hope to recruit teachers. The increased national interest in teaching with RNT has helped to generate will help TEACH FOR AMERICA attract a select group of individuals. Eventually,TEACH FOR AMERICA will probably tap into RNTs pool of respondents, offering them a centralized application, training, and placement mechanism. Efforts to Professionalize Teaching and Restructure Schools Business, education, and government leaders are resolved that the time has come for real change in the educational system. They call for school restructuring, for teacherprofessionalization. TEACH FOR AMERICA will help them in their efforts. First, it will further efforts toward professionalization by attracting bright individuals to teaching. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, meant to be a backbone of theeffort to professionalize teaching, seeks to recogr.ize and certify 'expert" teachers. The Board will require that the teachers it certifies demonstrate mastery of a certain bodyof knowledge, butit will not require an education major. It relies on teaching's ability to attract some of the brightest, most motivated individuals in our society. Second, TEACH FOR AMERICA will build a corps of leaders with the knowledge and commitment to argue for school improvement and teacher professionalization. Even if they leave teaching to pursue opportunities in business or government or law, they will be strong advocatesfor change in the educational system.

1, 7 14 Info. Bull. 134

Contributors

TEACH FOR AMERICA will be funded by a number of corporations and foundations. We are grateful to the many institutions and individuals who have supported the start-up phase of TEACH FOR AMERICA. They include:

SPONSORS ($100,000) Chrysler Corporation Merck Foundation Mobil Foundation Starr Foundation

SUPPORTERS

American Cyanamid Corporation Apple Computer Inc. Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Johnson Bogart Valerie Charles Diker Valerie T. Diker The Equitable General Atlantic Partners Hertz Corporation Hill & Knowlton W.K. Kellogg Foundation John McGillicuddy Morgan Stanley & Company PPG Industries The Prudential Jay Sherrerd Mrs. Norman Tishman Union Carbide Corporation Xerox Corporation Young & Rubicam /AP. HORIZONS Drafting the best and brightest

EDUCATION An elite new teacher corps reveals public spirit on campus ell-tailored recruiters represent-tration has asked Congress to allocatetions. Kopp and the organization's re- ing investment banks and pro-525 million for grants supporting thecruiters attribute the initial surge of en- fessional schools are common-state programs. So far, such programsthusiasm on campus to student awareness place on the nation's elite collegehave attracted mainly scientists, lawyers of the crisis in education. as well as to a campuses. Students recruiting theirand other professionals who want toresurgence of public spirit among stu- classmates to teach in the nation's belea- make midcareer shifts into teaching.dents generally. "Students are talking guered public schools are not. Teach for America is aiming to recruitabout teaching, science majors. premeds. Yet that is what has been happeningseniors straight off the campuses of thethe budding political types, the works at 100 leading colleges and universitiesnation's most prestigious colleges andthe enthusiasm is very broad." says the since early December under an ambi- universities. Yale rep. senior Jonathan Snyder. A 1989 tious new project called Teach for Teach for America has a predecessorsurvey of Columbia and Barnard seniors America. Astonishingly, this country's in the federal Teacher Corps, established seems to substantiate that observation. Of best and brightest, who tradi- t.C.E 14C4:1.04,4,2 404 se.4.44 the respondents, 60 percent ex- tionally have shunned teaching pressed a willingness to teach in '''''' r_'-- '''rt"..,-_' -,. as a low-pay, low-status occupa- -"1/444"4e(he: ?----'''.re-.41 r. public schools for periods of two ""4=A1*---.4f.,:_51:',,riv, --.-&.k.-4, tion. are responding. Indeed, -: , ..A.4 or three years. within a week of slipping an in- High-riskthinking.Kopp's progress since submitting her formational flier under the doors 4 of 1,500 university dorm rooms -.1,-0 thesis nine months ago has been last month, Teach for America's ,...71N. extraordinary. She has raised ilel ;:1.4.7- ,_,..,'42 !,....,,,42, ok, , ... Yale representative received 170 ":"3:. i..414.1:.-3:,.....,R.,,a4-2. nearly 5500,000 from founda- phone inquiries, reflecting a lev- tions and major corporations -. -754:1:49"-Zifr.: elof interestinteaching un- ., - ''''S::;C. 'Z''/E-1--r-. -:},".4::".',..` such as Mobil. Merck. Xerox imaginable on top campuses a I. :7711 l' 42,..',17 ..*:" ..Z.-.44-1: .,4%14.'. ..,Lkit. and Union Carbide, and won ''''' -. t.., zr,,.,,,:,17,,,47:54:+:42,,,?!..st.t.z2z.r.V...tz.::4.i,:, many converts to her cause in decade ago. `, 4. - ..... Teach for America's founder .4.. ,a 'fl... 4.. :13-4qA4.,..'1t.,,_kt7-;.171. the process."It's the kind of isa1989 Princeton graduate c.-;:,"1.4.4,,,,,ti ...,..Z*,., FY*, j;,.. 3. i::.. t.,,,...dX ../. .Te171%,.. radical high-risk, high-reward ...4....;.; i2. .4,._ft,..'V.,:'eZit....-...r':2'.4.,:4.ti.L.:+,1f4:1;;14, thinking that's needed to begin named Wendy Kopp. At a na- I'.... '"- .g''-eir,l *-f,,if...t.. '''.1, ....t1,1::'" : 1,4;le ., ..)- tional conference of students in ....) :.1.i,1 r II. It. '!, to turn around the crisis in pub- .. ., t,ort Z''7'.., 1.?88, Kopp heard undergradu- : S-',-,LI lic education." says Robin Ho- ates with distinguished academic ..,M->.-71$!C'VtA4'4:.4....51.L1-1:-....re,r7.....',,.71%.:.afl.e.4-'....t:-..;....,,'"p:,t ...:tti:. gen. vice president of the Merck .: - 1' Z,....:?,:..? .....t.:;.: records express enthusiasm for ....,,, '...... _.,,-...... , Company Foundation, who calls ).:.,'ir..,:-71.0.1.i".i,...eji.k,1';'.,,,:1, .319'.14 FY teaching. That inspired her no- iije;,:r.2.. ': :,. -,...,,..0.-- g. Kopp "disarmingly effective" at tion of a "teacher corps" that ,, e' .t. Thl opening doors in high places. -P,4::1-..,4'.---.,-;,'e" ''.:_ .1- Z.5"?;; :r1., 4,... Merck has donated S100.000 io would allow graduates headed 4..-,,:r....-':ei.L.t::',. ',. "N. 4 -,'j., ''...--tr for other careers to sidestep 2 ..q. 5, .:1'"lf,'-/W.e;' -"'`.------2".'-'?. Teach for America. .-,r: Z4%41.4f'?"-...t.:4\ 1.... P:' -,c."-:,..,,, :1 _ .r,-.4,,....,> -.3,-"T Working out of donated Man- state licensing laws that typical- 1. -'---.: -i--_:. --Q. ,,,,:-At 4-. , $/...--.. -,-. ..'y ly require teachers to earn edu- '-s ' -- .*.c.:..g. - :- ^'- --t hattan office space with a staff of cation degrees. The 22-year-old Wendy Kopp. Tapping into resurgent campus idealism six recent college graduates. public-policy major drew up a Kopp has recruited an advisory blueprint for the organization in her se-in 1965 as part of President Lyndonboard that includes nationally promi- nior thesis last spring and establishedJohnson's War on Poverty, which fol-nent educators and several corporate ti- Teach for America after graduation. lowed a similar strategy initsearly tans. An equally distinguished panel is Coming stiortfaL Kopp's initiative isyears, placing about 1,000 recruits annu-developing a summer training institute nothing if not timely. A severe shortageally in disadvantaged rural and urbanthat all Teach for America recruits will of talented teachers is threatening tocommunities. But Kopp uses as herattend prior to entering the classroom. undercut current attempts to improvemodel the Peace Corps, an independent Negotiations to place Teach for the performance of the public schools.agency with a high profile and an aura ofAmerica recruits are nearly complete Reformers continue to bemoan the lowselectivity and public spirit. "Part of thewith several urban school systems. in- caliber of many education-school gradu-reason people apply to the Peace Corpscluding Los Angeles and Chicago. and ates. And between now and 1997, risingis because they know it's selective," ob- with rural school systems in North Car- enrollments combined with a wave ofserves Kopp. "In order to attract peopleolina and . Later in the teacher retirements are expected to pro-with the most career opportunities, wemonth, Kopp and her staff will travel to duce a need for 1.5 million new teach-have to compete with graduate schools, the campuses to select applicants who. in ersmany more than the educationinvestment banking and management addition to undergoing traditional inter- schools are turning out. consulting, which offer prestige and aviews, will be required to perform a 15- Such statistics have sparked an in- high profile." minute "teaching demonstration." Kopp tense interest in liberal-arts majors as a Teach for America's target schoolsis anticipating 7,500 applicant,. Teach new source of teaching talent. About 20range from the Ivy League to leadingfor America's first 500 recruits are states have created "alternative certifi- liberal-arts colleges and top public uni-scheduled to be named in April .ind to cation" routes into the nation's class-versities. The organization has made abe in classrooms by September rooms for would-be teachers lacking priority of recruiting minority teachers education degrees. The Bush adminis- and is recruiting at leading black institu- by Thomas Toch

52 U.S.NEWS & WORLD REPORT Jar ;go - 1 6 ! 3 Info. Bull. 134 About Education Fred M. Hechinger

Building tomorrow's public schools with the brightest college graduates of today.

THE NEW YORK TIMESEDUCATIONWEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1989

Early this year Wendy Kopp. then a Some 20 states have enacted alter- She says she has received enthusi- student at Princeton, wrote her sen- native licensing programs that per- astic reactions from many educators, ior thesis on a plan to entice some of mit liberal arts graduates and others including Albert Shanker, president the best college graduates into teach- without education degrees to work as of the American Federation of Teach- teachers. In districts with teacher ing in public schools. ers, and Frank Newman, president of snortages, the kinds of places 1Leac4 Her idea was a network of campus the Education Commission of the for America aims to reach, tempo- States. representatives who would persuade rary teacning certificates are rou- . Several corporations and founda- seniors at elite colleges to sign up for finely provided. tions have made contributions, and a minimum of two years of teaching An eight-week summer training in- $300,000 has been raised so far. Miss after graduation. In return, those who stitute will introduce the new gradu- Kopp's budget calls for $1.7 million. Joined would get a deferment on ates to pedagogy, problems of cul- including $1.3 fcr financing up to 500 repaying students loans under the tural differences and teaching. A recruits. Morgan Stanley is providing provisions of the Higher Education training advisory committee will office space in the McGraw Hill Act amendments of 1985. The goal. create the curriculum for the- insti- Building in New York. Harold Mc- Miss Kopp says, was to recruit recent tute and help select the faculty, which Graw, the book company's chairman graduates, especially minority-group will include teachers and administra- emeritus, Is among the advisors. members, in math and science. tors from the cities already chosen. She first thought about this at a rte committee includes a teaching 1988 meeting of business and student specialist from Harvard, a member leaders to discuss ways to improve of the American Federation of Teach- Teach for America is not the only the schools. "The idea Just popped ers. a New York City school principal effort to reacn out for high-quality into my mind." she says. "I realized and a staff member from Teachers young teachers. The Peace Corps Fel- that top students might go into teach- College at Columbia University, lows Program, for example, has ing if we could find a way to recruit among others. joined with New York City's Board of them. it seeled so simple. One prob- Education and Columbia University lem with the education reform move- Once the teacher is placed in a to send returned Peace Corps Volun- teers to schools in Harlem and the ment is that people don't talk to col- classroom, at the regular first-year salary, the school must provide an ex- South Bronx. lege students. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund "So many of my peers were com- perienced mentor. Would some of the graduates be- plans to recruit minority-group mem- pletely undecided about what to do bers to teach in inner-city schools. after college," said Miss Kopp. who come professional teachers/ "We hope that a good many will stay in And Congress is considering legisla- had attended public schools in . teaching." said Miss Kopp. the organ- tion to rebuild a federally financed "They seemed ready to be recruited ization's staff director and a member Teacher Corps. by something like what 1 had in of its board. "But even if they leave What distinguishes Teach for mind." teaching after a few years and go into America is that It represents stu- And so, Teach for America,was law or business or medicine, they will MMTeaking to students. Miss born. One young woman's idea has be powerful spokespersons for public Kopp, a member of the Class of '89. is blossomed into a private, not-for- education and school reform." optimistic. She points to a survey of profit program that will send its first Last weekend, 160 students from Barnard's and Columbia's class of . group of college graduates to teach in 100 campuses met in Princeton to get 1989: 60 percent of 818 seniors who re- inner-city classrooms in the fall of ready to act as recruiters. sponded said they would consider 1990. Tentatively selected are schools Miss Kopp's advisory board in- teaching for two or three years. in Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago, cludes chief executives from corpora- This does not guarantee a rush of New York City, the Rio Grande Val- tions like Xerox and Union Carbide volunteers. Nor Is It certain that even the brightest college graduates will ley in Texas and several cities in igew and educational leaders like the necessarily be good teachers. But the Jersey. school superintendent of San Diego and the president of the National plan fits Into current efforts to reach Board for Professional Teaching out to new and different candidates Standards. for tomorrow's schools.

-'17- 2U BEST COPY AVAILABLE JANUARY 17, 1990 EDUCATION WEEK 7 toOteaching compared to getting intoElite-Collegeprestigiousplans to tap private into college universitiesA group students* of Alumnirecent graduates of Hatch PlanBy To Ann Bradley Recruit Teachers plained.mentinvestment consulting.' "it's so banking hard to or get manage- into schouladentteacheraCalifornia.11 at the m Los They in Angeles. several will serveTeach year-round as For btu- Amenc., plans to sign Iniversity of Southern ordinatecaladditionmadeis the Teach availableextensive supportto For the Amer© tomentor support groups,corps offices teachers,members. that symposia, will lo-co-beIn ctate,reeridealismteachtng indecision &yin and 100 jobs. capitalise college by recruiting campuses on Astheir many =di- ca- for as 500 prospective teach- dents,recruitera,University met alllast volunteer tomonth organise Machat college Princeton their For stu- America'scam- 100 campusNetwork of Recruiters agreecorpsandcontractsmentor rural tomembers. pau with schoolteachers the a totalnewThe districts and ofdistrictsteachers eightto place to urban musthirewith them socialandraisedamong events,foundations, $530.000 other andactivities. from includinga 'lbnewsletter. corporationsdate, Ameri- noels For America has hiredSouthernthisers will summer by receiveschool California at districts intensivethe University before expenenc- training being of sions,paign. posters,Through and informational letters, the ses- re- corpsin schools member. with at least one other can$3oldsComputer Cyanamid million Babcock Inc.,to Corporation, sustainFoundation. and the the Ms.Mary program. Apple Kopp Reyn- said she intends to raise Chart WendyFormg Princeton teacherAmerica. Kopp, shortage*, University. is theThe brainchild new progr.. of -n. called Teach a 1989 graduate of "Wes so hard to get into teachingto cumparedgetting into investment banking or andthemight factdunk be that somewhat that I haveFin going'1 takenjust think graduated toaback in create part by (potential donors] Complete Selection withthe a ht iorCorpsAmerica thesis program, afterat the the Woodrowand federalMs., wrote Kopp Teacher herWilson sen-modeled Teach For management consulting." Wendy Kopp studentsthat,ablythis program,' inbecause are coming I sheknow said. from.'where "I'm college prob- very good position to do New (or IBM and Macintoshof CourseAcimintstrattueSolutions SchoolAffairs of Publicon the topic.and Internauonal hesitate to say it, because it thecruiters program. will spread the word about edge that teachers trainedThe program's under the oryammrs acknowl- directorsbers, who and are boardassisted Theof byadvisers, program's a board in- of current staff mem- onlyThe Surfsidc5595 peror Solution module 52.995 complete. 131- eneverything,'reallysounds collro.is anbelieve so enormous loftyramr.uses." Ms. education and Kopp amountsuperficial, said-ia the of "There keyidealism but to I "Bachavitedin day which For to of Americaeach educationallocal of Sib the Day' graders 100 events. on Incampuses Feb. addition,will 10be forin- they plan to sponsor a bonexprogram edyear requirements LIC.Jt1 underwill on not "waivers'courses have in most toenough meet granted states.Instead, arrufica- teach- to most di,- will teach for the first Stanford,cludeNationalHarvard recent Princeton, universities. Boardgraduates Columbia.forJames ofProfessional Brown. A. and Kelly, president of the Callour c today onviete ttresdents'program ha amsuncertainty mquirementhopes agree to (a benefit Ma.aboutteach that Kopp forfromtheir partici- two3. stu- hi---.nowledged years is that the sponseresponsessitytive. to campusFor the example, program within recruiter the hasSofive received Yalebeentar, days Ms. Univer-pui- after 200Kopp said, the re- sionssomeelementary-schoolmath,trucs mayforsaenoe. 'alternate work foreopi-language, in states routai teachers. with to cerufi- provi- And and soartages of to TenchtoImportantlieves improve ForMs. pieceAmerica, Koppteaching.' of hasthe said Identifiedpuzde he ofbe- how an Standards ant: -n adviser Aaministrativefor Apple Ilek, software lEiht/MS-DOS. and Macintosh catalog designedestedconsadering toin be teaching, attractive several careershe to Manygraduates added, options. bright but students are inter- oningmailing theTeach basis For of America. applications that Corpsin- members' will be screened letter to studeraidescrib- aionrequiredcertified thatMs. allow Kopp alterto teach teachers saidbeguuung forshe just expectstoAlthough theirbecome two manyjobs. years, corps will members will be ingTinItheratartsfrom in outstanding favor programs,' of that undergraduate"Her goal.' nichehe noted. is to recruit into teach-higher proportion of graduates Box 1112. Cast 01:ean.s. MA 026-43 1.800-942-9008iNcoaPOPAlIOSurfsideSoftware andFusingaboutthey you're either doing certification looking doso, notor are knowfor "Byrequirements. put a job,'the offbow timeby she to con youex-go - get to be a senior, cludewillcrullers. essaysprogram undergo and from interviewsan intensiveJune 17Those with through training re-selected Aug. for the program want to continue in the Aprofession. key Supportcomponent Network of the program Planned City,America,14 available N.Y. P 10185. O. by Box writing-. 5114,More TeachNewinformation York For on the program school administrative software.publishers of Exclusive ,41 cLunl BEST COPY AVAILABLE