Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 2 of 26
Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary
Vision, The Problem as we See It, Theory of Systemic Change, Mission & Approach 3
Timeline of Activities 5
Summary of Activities 6
2. Efforts to Improve Retention in Public Education
Regional & Comparative Data 7
Region Specific Activities 10
3. Appendices
A. Financial Data (2021-2022) 20
B. Performance Measures (2021-2022) 22
C. LEA Partners (2021-2022) 26
Note: This report offers an update to and makes multiple references to the prior reports filed with the
Texas Education Agency in years 2016 - 2021.
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 3 of 26
1. Executive Summary
Vision, The Problem as we See It, Theory of Systemic Change, Mission & Approach
Teach For America works in partnership with communities to expand educational opportunity for
children facing the challenges of poverty. Today, Teach For America is represented in 48 regions
nationwide. Currently, over 65,000 members of the TFA network are driving toward equity and
excellence for all, including over 2,500 corps members and alumni working in classrooms; nearly 3,000
principals, assistant principals, and deans; more than 600 system leaders; and over 100 school board
members.
OUR VISION:
One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
THE PROBLEM AS WE SEE IT:
Potential is equally distributed across lines of race and class, but opportunity is not. Today in America,
the circumstances of children’s births predict the opportunities they have in life. Children growing up in
historically marginalized and disenfranchised communities lack access to a broad spectrum of resources
and opportunities and attend schools that are not equipped to meet their unmet needs. This
disproportionately impacts children of color, who are more than two times more likely to be born into
poverty, who bear an additional burden of low expectations and other biases stemming from
institutional racism, and who now constitute nearly half of all children in American public schools. Our
public education system, which has remained largely unchanged for 100 years, is not designed to give
students agency to overcome the barriers they face to lead and shape the dynamic, global world into
which they will graduate.
A THEORY OF SYSTEMIC CHANGE:
Solving this problem will take many interventions from many directions over a prolonged period: no
single solution is sufficient to bring about an equitable and excellent education for all children. Our
mission and approach draws on three lessons from enduring systems-change efforts throughout history.
First, change requires sustained leadership inside and outside of the system challenging conventional
wisdom and the status quo by demonstrating what’s possible. Second, change requires a broad and
diverse coalition of people united around common purpose and shared values, working together to
translate insights from proof points of possibility into policy and practice. Third, the effort must be
shaped by those most directly impacted by the injustice and led by those with personal proximity to the
problem and its complexity.
OUR MISSION:
Teach For America finds, develops, and supports a diverse network of leaders who expand opportunity
for children from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that shapes the broader systems in
which schools operate.
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 4 of 26
OUR APPROACH:
1. We find promising leaders: The questions underlying educational inequity demand the
imagination and sustained focus of our nation’s most promising leaders. We recruit outstanding
and diverse leaders early in their careers, who have demonstrated evidence of the values and
leadership necessary to expand opportunity and access for all children inside and outside of the
classroom. We ask leaders to make a lifelong commitment that begins with two years’ teaching
in a public school, partnering with children and families most acutely impacted by educational
inequity.
2. We develop and cultivate the leadership skills and mindsets necessary for systems change
through classroom teaching: We develop leaders who go beyond traditional expectations to
advance the academic and personal growth of their students and help to strengthen their
schools. In doing so, they expand their perspectives, knowledge, and skill as educators,
advocates, and systems change leaders. Great teaching is necessary to ensure children realize
their potential and have the full agency they need and deserve in life. Teaching is also a
profound act of leadership, and foundational for courageous individual and collective leadership
in the long fight for educational equity and excellence. In partnership with schools, families,
local universities, other organizations, and businesses in the community, we provide initial
training, ongoing professional development, and access to an unparalleled resource and support
network.
3. We support the individual and collective leadership, relationships, and learning of those in our
network throughout their lifetime: Throughout their lives, as their careers take shape, we help
alumni connect with each other and with high-impact opportunities to continue to grow and
learn in pursuit of collective impact. Informed and inspired by their students, many alumni
choose to teach in high-need schools and communities beyond their two-year commitments.
Others lead from many sectors that shape the context and conditions in which schools operate.
They are school and district leaders; policy makers; founders of advocacy organizations; social
entrepreneurs; and business, philanthropic, and civic leaders working to make change.
Our first regions in Texas, Houston and the Rio Grande Valley, were founded in 1991; in 2009 we
launched in Dallas and expanded into Fort Worth in 2010. Additionally, in 2010 we also launched in San
Antonio. In the summer of 2019, TFA hired a full-time director to lead our efforts in Austin, which has a
network approaching 900 alumni of our organization. In 2021 - 2022, the Teach For America network in
Texas surpassed 5,500 members.
As Texas enters the 2020s, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the broader community
of educators in Texas are focused on a key set of metrics: “By 2030, Texas will need approximately 60
percent of its 25- to 34- year-old workforce to hold a postsecondary credential. . . However, the state’s
25-34 year olds are increasingly Hispanic, and the inclusion of underrepresented student populations,
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 5 of 26
such as Hispanics and African Americans, in higher education will be critical to this plan’s success.
1
” As
reported in the initial Texas 60x30 Higher Education Plan, the state’s highest need populations are the
furthest away from this goal, and lag the state average of 20% degree or certificate completion:
● White: 29%
● African American: 13%
● Hispanic: 13%
● Economically Disadvantaged: 10%
If the state is to reach these ambitious and deeply meaningful goals, we need as much top human
capital working in education as possible.
Our unique role: There are many important efforts happening to address the injustices facing America’s
children growing up in poverty, and we strive to be a key partner among many. Teach For America
contributes additional leaders to the growing movement to end educational inequity. Our commitment
starts with developing teacher leaders who offer their students the opportunity to attain an excellent
education and continues through the work our alumni pursue across education and related fields. We
drive change through leadership, ultimately with and for the sake of our students, both inside and
outside the classroom. We believe that this is a unique and important role to play and our efforts,
alongside many others, will enable us to reach our vision of educational excellence and equity in our
lifetime.
Timeline of Activities
Figure 1 highlights the timeline of activities described in this report:
Figure 1: Timeline of Activities
Activity
Timeframe
● Yearly (minimum) stakeholder meetings with
superintendents, heads of human resources/human
capital in all partner districts (establishing expectations
for partnership)
● Summer/Fall 2021
● Ongoing
● Back to school meetings with principals at partner
campuses (setting shared expectations, with focus on
key retention strategies)
● Fall 2021
● Ongoing stakeholder meetings with principals at partner
campuses (progress updates regarding individual
teachers on campus)
● Ongoing, as necessary
1
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 60x30 Strategic Plan
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/reports/PDF/6584.PDF?CFID=26748433&CFTOKEN=34632987
, (p.i)
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 6 of 26
● Coordination with alternative certification providers to
streamline program services between alternative
certification and TFA where appropriate
● Summer/Fall 2021
● Open door policy for TFA sponsored professional
development events for partner district personnel
● Ongoing, depending on
regional PD schedules
● Survey of TFA alumni in Texas, with attention to current
role/employer
● December 2021
● Launched teacher support cohorts, fellowships, and
programs in each TFA region in Texas (not all cohorts
available in all regions, further detailed beginning on
page 10)
● Spring/Summer/Fall 2021
● Ongoing into Spring 2022
● Redesigned staff roles and responsibilities in various
ways to focus on supporting teacher retention, including:
o Extending TFA professional development
coaching and support that typically ends at the
end of year 2 of teaching to year 3 + teachers
who opt in (San Antonio, RGV, Dallas and
Houston)
● Summer 2021 redesign,
for 2021-2022 school year
● Summer 2022 redesign,
for 2022-2023 school year
● Articulating our overall cost model for preparing new
teachers, including funding sources
● Spring/Summer 2022
● Updating comparisons between TFA retention rates and
retention rates for other new teachers in low-income
communities
● Spring/Summer 2022
Summary of Activities
The activities we pursued to meet the expectations of our appropriation can generally be divided into
those that are common across our four Texas regions, and those that were pursued specifically in a
single Texas region. The specific initiatives that each regional operation pursued are described in further
detail below, in the “Region-Specific Activities” portion of Section 2: Efforts to Improve Retention in
Public Education
Figure 2: Summary of Activities
Common Activities
● Ongoing Meetings with Superintendents/Human Resource
Directors in Partner Districts
● Ongoing meetings with Campus Principals/Administrators
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 7 of 26
● Coordination with Alternative Certification
Providers/Educator Preparation Programs
● Open Door Policy for Teach For America Professional
Development
Region-Specific Activities
● Dallas – Fort Worth
o Collective Leadership Initiatives
o Talent and Leadership Initiatives
● Houston
o Corps Member Professional Development
o Alumni Professional Development
o Leadership Opportunities, Awards and Service
Acknowledgements
o Partnerships Across Organizations
● Rio Grande Valley
o Annual Alumni Summit
o Opportunities to Connect Alumni
o Alumni Board Participation and Impact
o Targeted Activities for Second Year Teachers
o Programs and Events
● San Antonio
o Deeper Community Engagement
o Building Alumni Professional Capacity
o Micro-grants and Funding Resources
o Building the Broader Network while Strengthening
Community Ties
o Career Support and Development
2. Efforts to Improve Retention in Public Education
Regional & Comparative Data
In 2016, we contracted with two different firms to analyze and compare teacher and educator retention
among Teach For America teachers and other teachers in the same school districts. These analyses form
our initial baseline for considering teacher retention efforts.
First, a partnership with the Center for Research, Evaluation and Advancement of Teacher Education
based at the University of Houston provided information regarding teacher retention rates in the school
districts that Teach For America partners within Texas. CREATE has reviewed teacher retention rates for
all teachers new to each district Teach For America partners within Texas for the years 2010 – 2015.
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 8 of 26
Figure 3: Comparative Retention Data in School District Partners of Teach For America
Cohort
2 Year Retention Rate
3 Year Retention Rate
2010-2011 Teach For America
teachers in Texas
2
90%
47%
2010-2011 all new teachers in
TFA partner districts
3
81%
61%
Second, we commissioned an evaluation by American Institutes of Research
4
which found that Teach
For America teachers:
1. Are increasingly diverse (p. 6);
2. Serve in harder to fill positions than their peers (p. 4);
3. Remain teachers in their initial district at higher rates than their peers (p. 7);
4. Remain teachers through two years at higher rates than their peers (p. 7);
5. When they move districts, they move to districts with higher rates of economically
disadvantaged students, higher rates of non-white students and higher rates of English language
learners than their peers (p. 18);
6. Are remaining teachers in Texas public schools at increasing rates (p. 13).
The AIR study was limited in that it:
1. Was unable to locate any Teach For America alumni from the 2010 – 2013 cohorts who have
remained employed in Texas public schools in a non-teaching position (instructional coach,
counselor, assistant principal, principal, central office roles, etc.) – which was as high as 290
educators
5
based on our own internal surveys and employment data.
2. Did not include any Teach For America teacher who began teaching in Texas from 1991 - 2009,
or after 2013 – at that time upwards of 650 educators, over 400 of which were teachers
6
.
3. Did not include any Texas teacher or K-12 employee who began teaching in another state and
moved to Texas – at that time upwards of 400 educators
7
4. Did not consider the factors that influence TFA and non-TFA teachers decisions to leave their
initial district or teaching, which is a challenge for the sector overall.
2
http://tiny.cc/air_tfatx
3
Source: Center for Research, Evaluation and Advancement of Teacher Education, Houston University, Report to Teach For America, July 21,
2016.
4
http://tiny.cc/air_tfatx
5
Source: Teach For America alumni database
6
Source: Teach For America alumni database
7
Source: Teach For America alumni database
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 9 of 26
Further, the study does not account for the variety of innovations that Teach For America regions in
Texas have developed since 2016 to encourage and support alumni to remain in the classroom and
remain public school employees in other capacities, described in detail in the next section. These
innovations include:
● Fellowships and professional development for 3+ year experienced teachers, including cohorts
of teachers pursuing certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards;
● Partnerships with graduate schools like SMU, Johns Hopkins and Rice University;
● Partnerships with school districts across the state, to expand our professional development
offerings to other teachers.
Most recently, we have captured information for our 2020 cohort in Texas, with a specific focus on
those who plan to remain teaching or employed by a K-12 public school in Texas in the 2022-2023
school year, as well as analyzed our alumni database for all alumni living in Texas, looking for those who
remain classroom teachers and those who remain employed in K-12 public education.
Figure 4: Teach For America 2019 Cohort Retention
Measure
Result
2020 cohort Teach For America teachers in Texas
who finished their two-year teaching
commitment (i.e. 2-year retention rate)
8
285 teachers completed their two-year
commitment (84% of 339 who started teaching in
2020)
2020 cohort Teach For America teachers in Texas
who will remain in K-12 education in Texas in
2022-2023 (i.e. 3 year retention rate)
9
140 of these teachers will continue in K-12
education in Texas (41% of 339 who started
teaching in 2020), of which 138 will remain
classroom teachers (41% of 339 who started
teaching in 2020)
Figure 5: Teach For America Alumni in Education
Measure
Result
Number of Teach For America alumni who were
classroom teachers in Texas in 2021-2022
10
~1,110 (ranging in experience from 3 years to 30
years)
8
Source: Regional tracking tool
9
Source: Regional tracking tool
10
Source: Teach For America alumni database
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 10 of 26
Number of Teach For America alumni who were
K-12 employees in Texas in 2021-2022 (excluding
classroom teachers)
11
~1,076 (including instructional coaches,
counselors, deans/assistant principals, principals,
district staff and superintendents)
Lastly, we should note that Teach For America continues its recent history of increasing its teacher force
diversity, which was noted by the final report from The American Institutes note above. Compared to
the entire teacher workforce in Texas in 2020-2021 (the most recent year available), the Teach For
America teachers in our 2020 and 2021 cohorts (teaching in 2021-2022) were more diverse, and more
closely mirrored the changing demographics of our state.
Figure 6: Teacher Workforce Diversity, 2019-2020 & 2020-2021
Demographic
Texas Teacher
Workforce, 2020-2021
12
Teach For America,
2021-2022 Texas
Cohorts
13
Texas Student
Population, 2020-2021
14
White
56.9%
24.9%
26.5%
Hispanic
28.4%
25.7%
52.9%
African American
11.1%
24.8%
12.7%
Non-White Other
3.5%
24.6%
7.9%
Region Specific Activities
Regions have developed and implemented a variety of activities to promote retention in teaching and
education among current corps members and alumni.
Dallas – Fort Worth
To maximize alumni impact in schools and school systems across Dallas - Fort Worth, through
professional development sessions and work with partners, we: 1) Channel alumni leaders to ascend to
influential leadership positions, 2) Connect alumni to each other to maximize collaboration, learning and
innovation, and 3) Partner with organizations that can build skills and expand our leaders’ networks
where we do not hold expertise. Through our strategy we can grow the footprint of our network and
deepen our impact to ensure local students have access to the type of education that equips them to
reimagine a more equitable economic future in North Texas.
11
Source: Teach For America alumni database
12
2020-2021 State TAPR, p. 24
13
Teach For America Application Data, 2020 & 2021
14
2020-2021 State TAPR, p. 21
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 11 of 26
● Collective Leadership: Through our programming we orient our alumni towards connection and
collaboration. This year we facilitated group learning spaces and convenings so alumni could
grow their understanding of critical local educational issues and embrace the power of working
collectively around shared values and a common purpose. These spaces allow alumni to come
together, learn from one another’s experiences, and work towards shared goals. We also
focused on recognition and celebration of our alumni teachers, during one of the hardest years
of education, hoping that this would help with retention for educators in a very trying year.
○ Learn and Play: Created learning space for alumni around both a skill and an
educational barrier; this year’s event focused on baking and learning about the
important role a school board plays to encourage folks to vote in their local races.
○ Teacher Appreciation: (fall and winter) During the fall we sent small care packages to
our teachers across the region with masks, door pullers, and stress relieving products.
We also included a note of encouragement for all the work they were doing to keep
students on track. In the spring, we partnered with ten local restaurants to buy our
teachers a dinner for Teacher Appreciation Week. We were able to support small
businesses that had suffered through the pandemic and show our appreciation for our
teachers by providing a night out.
● Talent & Leadership: Supporting the learning, development, and career trajectories of alumni in
school and school systems is a key lever in achieving One Day in communities across Dallas - Fort
Worth. Our role is to provide expertise along with creating pipelines, partnerships and remove
barriers for alumni aspiring to move into school and school systems leadership pathways. During
the 2021-2022 school year we provided one-on-one coaching, ran programs, and sponsored
opportunities that equip alumni to drive their own leadership development and career
acceleration within school and school systems.
○ Rising Alumni Summer Fellowship: Led a 6-week Summer Fellowship for corps
members & early-career alumni educators working in part-time, paid positions at
various mission aligned organizations throughout DFW. Fellows gain insights into the
challenges in the DFW landscape and the organizations/people that are working to
expand opportunities for kids and improve our communities.
○ Principal Pipeline Recruitment: The DFW region collaborates with established programs
throughout North Texas to increase the number of alumni in school leadership pipelines
(Teaching Trust, SMU, Texas Wesleyan, UNT-Dallas, TCU). We build the pool of
candidates to enter school leadership pipelines through local alumni by executing one-
on-one prospecting meetings, holding medium sized events, and providing
application/coaching workshops.
○ Professional Readiness Career Support: The DFW alumni program has a robust career
readiness development team which provides one-on-one career coaching for alumni
looking for talent support. We continue to provide regular professionalism and
networking trainings for all alumni in education. Additionally, our team provides
resume, cover letter and application support to alumni on an as needed basis.
○ School and School Systems Leadership: To increase the footprint of alumni in school
and school systems leadership we use a multifaceted approach which includes targeted
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 12 of 26
outreach, resume collection drives, and strong partnerships which connect alumni with
district leadership to interview leadership opportunities. In addition to these strategies,
this year we hosted several hiring fairs with districts throughout DFW to increase
exposure for our network.
Houston
Given the ongoing effects of the Global Pandemic, it became more apparent than ever that innovation
and increased partnership with our districts were necessary if we wanted to see our students on a path
to a future filled with possibility and economic success. With this in mind, we created District
Community Hubs to serve each of the school districts we partner with. These Community Hubs are
charged with partnering with school districts and communities to support district transformation.
Additionally, they partner with schools and teachers to support school and classroom transformation. All
this is done by leveraging the talent and resources of the TFA network. Further, we’ve launched a
Network Learning & Innovation Hub to drive engagement, innovation, learning, and collective leadership
amongst the TFA network and like-minded peers. The Network Learning and Innovation Hub expands
opportunities for students by researching, prototyping, and designing experiences and programs for
teachers and alumni in partnership with the District Community Hubs that find solutions to reimagine
the future of learning.
1. Corps Member Professional Development
a. Corps members received a series of choice-based small group sessions that focused on
“back to basics” teaching pedagogy, culturally responsive pedagogy, trauma informed
practices, wellness, career readiness and leadership development.
b. Corps members attend two full day Saturday professional development experiences
geared towards the following purpose: “To reground ourselves in our purpose as
educators, engage in self-care that will further spark our passion and serve the Houston
community. Our network of leaders will explore the assets and inequities found within
our communities and collaborate as we boldly reimagine what is possible for education
in our city.” They learned firsthand in partnership with the following organizations:
Houston Food Bank, Westbury Community Garden, 8 Million Stories, Nora’s Home, The
Central American Minors Working Group, Kids in Need of Defense, and the Houston
Immigration Legal Services Collaborative.
c. Second Year Corps Members engage in a year learning experience called presentations
of learning. Presentations of Learning are an opportunity for our second-year corps
members to authentically articulate their impact and reflect on their experience with
Teach For America Houston through storytelling. Grounding in TFA’s Theory of
Leadership, it is a time for corps members to reflect on their personal and collective
journey, proudly share stories of change, and make a commitment to continued change
efforts in the future.
d. Incoming corps members attend a series of virtual webinars with alumni, local
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organizations, and current corps members to learn about teaching in Houston, summer
preservice, the path to alumni-hood, financial literacy, and wellness as an educator.
e. Summer Preservice reconvened in person in partnership with Houston Independent
School District and Promise Ready Schools. Purpose: Corps Members will be equipped as
aspiring anti-racist educators to lead relevant, rigorous, inclusive, and supportive
classrooms. We desire to build a corps experience that prepares you to provide your
students with an informed high-quality education that prioritizes connection and
curriculum. Furthermore, inspiring and equipping you to pursue a life-time commitment
to advancing educational equity and excellence.
f. We launched the Ignite Fellowship, which connects college students who serve as tutors
with students across 8 elementary and middle schools in Houston. All students showed
growth in both key academic markers and social emotional markers in Spring semester.
2. Alumni Professional Development:
a. With educators, school leaders and district leaders working to navigate virtual learning,
hybrid learning, and a safe return to school, we wanted to ensure we provided our
alumni network with programming to support these priorities. We steered our local
network towards national programming through our new online portal called Docebo
that focused on effectively engaging and educating students online or in a hybrid
environment. We revised our Houston Hub to support alumni seeking career support
such as resume workshops and open roles. We partnered with the National Team to
launch TFA Connect where partners and alumni can create profiles and connect with
current roles across several sectors including social innovation.
b. We hosted our first TFA Houston’s Team KIPP Texas Leadership Intensive: It was an
invigorating, week-long, equity-minded leadership development experience. Over the
course of the week, individuals reflected on their previous experiences with leadership,
dissect the implications of white dominant culture on team leadership, built skills to
utilize with their teams, and engaged in meaningful conversation across lines of
similarity and difference. Participants walked away with confidence in their ability to
lead their team, committed to equity and inclusion in their leadership, with clarity of
their purpose as a leader. Each participant will receive ongoing coaching through Fall
2022. You can read the summary here.
c. We designed and launched our first innovation incubator called DreamLabs. They are a
set of immersive design spaces where students leverage their imagination and creativity
to innovate and solve problems affecting their community. These spaces bring a non-
traditional approach to learning, innovation and problem-solving. Our aim is to develop
innovation mindsets and skills within young people growing up in low-income
communities to adequately prepare them for the world of tomorrow and facilitate
economic mobility regardless of the climate. These experiences take place both in and
outside of traditional school settings with teachers, alumni, and school leaders.
3. Leadership Opportunities, Awards, & Service Acknowledgements
a. TFA alumni have launched and scaled 4 of the most innovative and highest performing
charter school networks in Houston. Thousands of TFA alumni and corps members are
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 14 of 26
working together to advance student outcomes in these schools. A recent analysis
indicates that Teach For America is a key aspect of the leadership and talent strategy of
the highest performing public charter school networks.
b. 23 TFA Houston alumni are founding and leading social ventures and organizations with
children and families at the center in Houston.
c. Houston alumni are deeply engaged in policy, advocacy, organizing, and politics: 6 are
sitting on local Houston school boards.
d. Given our deep belief in the power of our alumni to make change, we brought together
individuals experiencing success in our new teaching and learning environment with
those seeking best practices so they could learn from one another while simultaneously
building relationships. We continue to recruit alumni to develop and facilitate
professional development for 1st and 2nd year corps members and early career alumni
throughout the school year as content facilitators, mentors/facilitators for incoming
corps members and as they explore their future career trajectories. This development
consists of both content and values–based development.
e. We continue seeking out and nominating our alumni for awards that celebrate their
impact and expertise. This year, 5 TFA alumni across three school districts were
celebrated as Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award winners by the Kinder Foundation.
This honor is accompanied by a $25,000 reward for each educator.
4. Partnerships Across Organizations:
a. This year Teach For America Houston, in partnership with Leadership for Educational
Equity (LEE), an organization that focuses on advocacy in education launched a pilot
with a group of corps members in one of our partner districts that resulted in teachers
and students partnering to lobby their district to change student codes of conducts. TFA
Houston also works closely with several mission aligned organizations, committed to
improving outcomes for kids and educating parents and the broader community on
roles they can play in improving the state of education in Houston. These include:
i. Houstonians for Great Public Schools (Houston GPS) (alumni led)
ii. Children At Risk (alums on staff)
iii. Latinos for Education (alumni on staff)
iv. Good Reason Houston (alumni led)
v. The Ion (alumni on staff)
b. These alumni led organizations focus on educating parents and the broader community
on the roles they can play in improving the state of education in Houston. We leverage
this expansive network to educate our alumni, corps members and staff through in
person opportunities including co-hosting community events and joining panels.
c. ONE Houston launched in the spring of 2015 and fueled by alumni, continues to tackle
issues that act as barriers to equality and underachievement. This year, in partnership
with Teach For America alumni, the organization rallied behind issues of school safety,
social emotional supports for students, the school to prison pipeline as a public health
crisis, as well as COVID-19 and Texas Freeze related needs.
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 15 of 26
Rio Grande Valley
Annual Alumni Summit
1) While our Alumni Summit returned to being in-person, we did offer a few workshops led by
facilitators who were outside of the region. The in-person attendees were able to
collaborate in one room, but the format allowed for virtual participation specifically during
these sessions.
2) The Summit continued to focus on supporting both teacher and student wellness. We
instituted more small group spaces to form closer relationships and expand networks of
support.
3) Alumni attendees had the option to bring guests who were not alumni of TFA. Our goal is to
allow interested educators the opportunity to learn alongside our TFA alumni community.
Key Takeaways:
It was energizing to be able to bring our alumni and exiting second year corps members back together
in-person. It was the first time our 2020 corps had an in-person training during their TFA experience.
Technology allowed us to welcome alumni participation even if they were not in the region. In the
future, we hope to continue hybrid workshops and increase participation. Additionally, we will aim to
communicate more about the summit to welcome in non-alumni to attend alongside alumni. The
ultimate purpose is to connect attendees back to their motivation to contribute towards educational
equity, grow their network, and provide some tangible leadership development to assist on their
journey.
Opportunities to Connect Alumni
1. Our annual alumni taquiza returned. We welcomed our diverse alumni network and their
families to enjoy food and fellowship last fall.
2. Alumni did monthly takeovers of Instagram to share more about them and their career. We
included primarily alumni board members to increase their visibility in our alumni network.
3. Alumni shared different volunteering and recreational opportunities throughout the year to
allow for casual connections to be formed between alumni.
4. Alumni have access to our regional Facebook group for alumni to share resources,
opportunities, and connect with others.
Key Takeaways:
We continued the digital engagement which had been the focus during the pandemic while adding back
in-person gathering opportunities. We focus on one large scale event each year to try to be as inclusive
as possible to our diverse community of alumni. The smaller gatherings are alumni led and require less
coordination and therefore are easier to ensure a variety of them happen throughout the year. The
model also allows for new spaces based on the interest of alumni. The relationships alumni formed in
the corps continue to be so strong that forming alumni relationships among different corps years and
different workplaces continues to be both a challenge and ongoing priority.
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 16 of 26
Alumni Board Participation & Impact
1. The 2021-2022 school year was the 6th year for our alumni board. Our 14 members met every
other month to chart the course for serving our local network of 200+ alumni.
2. We continued a model with a board chair and two committee chairs, one of who was new this
year. The staff liaison met monthly with the board leadership to support the execution of board
plans.
3. Because it was year 6, we had to plan for our first transitions off the board for individuals who
had reached the term limits. These were founding members of the board who we celebrated
for their sustained service and commitment.
4. The professional development committee continued to execute on key programming for alumni
and corps members aimed at career development and support (see below).
5. The culture and communication committee continued its focus on building a strong culture
between our alumni network and improving communications.
6. Many board members participated in the Cafecito Conversations which occurred in the
community throughout the year.
Key Takeaways:
With a returning board chair, the board was able to operate more independently. The board chair had a
lot of autonomy in everything from the selection of new members to the prioritization of projects during
the year. Through the Cafecito Conversations and regular board meetings, this body served as a key
source of strategic guidance for the regionalization of the 2030 goal and strategies. The board was most
effective in supporting the transition of 2nd year corps members to alumni and in establishing a baseline
of regional events to anticipate each year. Consistent execution of plans continues to be a priority as the
larger group has ambitious aims but follow through often depends on the individual(s) who oversees the
project.
Targeted Activities for Second Year Teachers:
1. Once again meetings were strategically conducted with all second-year teachers by our coaching
staff given their proximity to the corps members relationally. The information was then
consolidated and used to strategically map and plan out transition pieces for our 2nd year CMs
for the following year and we were able to create a comprehensive transition plan and
conversation for our second-year teachers this year.
2. During these transition conversations and meetings, our staff make connections with people
and resources that can be useful and influential in keeping our rising alumni in the field of
education. Additionally, these conversations are informative in that they provide us feedback
on our programming structures, experiences of people in different schools and districts and
overall sentiment regarding teaching and school employment for the long term – all of which we
use to inform our programs in the coming year.
3. The Alumni Board once again put on the Second Year Transition Series for our 2nd year
teachers. They focused on personal values and discerning a career of impact aligned with one’s
strengths. The series connected corps members with other alumni and those in the community
through an independent research component. The training sequence concluded with a session
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 17 of 26
on how they can continue to connect to the TFA network in the future as alumni.
4. We regularly contract with alumni teachers as leaders of a variety of professional development
structures that are a requirement of our program for first- and second-year teachers. Alumni
led the following professional development groups:
a. Math
b. Science
c. English Language Arts & Reading
d. Social Studies
e. Elementary
Key Takeaways:
Because of our proximity and access to second year corps members, it is a huge opportunity to influence
their future. Staff and the alumni board both provide training and coaching around career discernment,
development, and networking which provide more time to prepare for what is next after the initial TFA
corps commitment. As a result, we have seen an increase in corps members understanding their next
steps and greater clarity around career plans and trajectory, including most who immediately continue
as teachers.
Programs and Events
1. Our alumni had access to resources and tools through the LGBTQ+ Prism network initiative,
Teach For America’s national and regional boards that support LGBTQ+ students, educators, and
community members. Our local chapter of Prism includes many community members and
partners from organizations with similar missions.
2. The Rural School Leadership Academy prepares current and aspiring school leaders to lead
public schools in rural communities. Two alumni participated in this program during the 2021-
2022 school year. We also hosted the first in-person convening of this group in early May. The
participants from around the country visited local schools and engaged with local educational
leaders. We will continue to recruit new alumni into this program each year.
3. Alumni Professional Learning Community: one of our instructional and leadership coaches
planned and managed a learning community for approximately 10 alumni teachers. They met at
least monthly during the spring semester focusing on the timeliest needs. We partnered with
the organization WPS to have them facilitate a few of the sessions which focused on topics
including leveraging your influence as a teacher on your campus, partnering with students, and
an overall focus on sustainability as a teacher.
4. As Teach For America has expanded its career development resources, we have seen a need to
inform our alumni about the resources available. We held an information workshop virtually to
present information on the most requested resources which include our alumni directory, job
board, and interview preparation resources. We also communicated these to our alumni via our
monthly email newsletter and on social media.
5. We held our annual Honor Roll Gala in April. Our honoree was a 20-year veteran teacher who
spoke compellingly to guests about his journey as a teacher. Several alumni also attended as
ambassadors and to connect with our broader community.
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 18 of 26
6. Regional Pre-Service: as we launched our new training model this summer, we recruited
primarily from our alumni to serve in regional staff roles. We hired alumni to serve as
instructional coaches and in operational roles. We provided alumni with training this past spring
which also sharpens their instructional knowledge and can prepare them for additional
responsibilities on their campuses.
Key Takeaways:
Our diverse alumni have a variety of different needs. We adapted our offerings to make sure to share
the nationally available Teach For America resources. We also aligned our regional expertise in
understanding current needs of our educators, to provide responsive programming. Our corps member
training and our community events were all leveraged to provide easily accessible points to our alumni
and to aid in their continued leadership development.
San Antonio
In 2021-2022, the San Antonio team focused on bringing alumni together to increase dialogue around
what is needed most by our community. Our team focused on laying a strong foundation for the 10
Year Strategic Direction by increasing our support of and proximity to students, educators, school
leaders, and school communities overall.
Deeper Community Engagement
1. Teach For America launched the Ignite program, which connects college students who serve as
tutors with students across 13 elementary and middle schools in San Antonio
a. During the fall, we launched with 5 schools and served 102 students
b. In the spring, we grew to 13 schools and served 371 students
c. All students showed growth in both key academic markers and social emotional markers
in Spring semester.
Building Alumni Professional Capacity
1. Shared Identity Group Facilitators Training: As part of our commitment to identity development
and diversity, equity, and inclusiveness, the San Antonio region invested in training alumni to
serve as Shared Identity Group facilitators. Expert Erika Totten provided specialized training to
support 11 alumni facilitators. The alumni facilitators then conducted identity development
sessions for corps members during all Collective Leadership Summits.
2. Alumni Board: The 2021-22 Alumni board focused on increasing network engagement and
integration
3. Social Innovation Cohort: In collaboration with Launch SA, TFA launched the Social Innovation
Cohort, a group focused on developing the entrepreneurial skills of alumni. The alumni then
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 19 of 26
presented their social ventures during EduPitch, a Shark-Tank style event where alumni
entrepreneurs competed for funding. The projects included:
a. Skew the Script, a culturally responsive math curriculum that is open to all teachers
b. Syncing Up, a menstruation education program
c. San Antonio Leaders and Teachers, a teacher engagement and retention nonprofit
d. DwellEd, a real estate venture meant to make homeownership more accessible to
teachers
Micro-grants and Funding Resources
1. Micro-grants: The region offered 10 alumni teachers micro-grants of up to $500 to enhance
their classroom or campus. The micro-grants allowed alumni to:
a. Attend college visits
b. Build after school programs
c. Build more diverse classroom libraries
Building the Broader Network While Strengthening Community Ties
1. Network Participation in annual DreamWeek: In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the City of
San Antonio hosts DreamWeek, a 10-day celebration of the values for which Dr. King stood.
Teach For America participated in DreamWeek by hosting an alumni-led conversation on special
projects to increase student engagement.
Career Support and Development
1. Talent Matching: In collaboration with Verdant EDU, TFA offered alumni support in finding
impactful roles in San Antonio. Our team supported both alumni who lost jobs due to Covid-19
and alumni who sought to move to San Antonio from other regions.
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 20 of 26
2.
Appendices
A. Financial Data (2021-2022)
Note: An overview of our financial model and key definitions are included in our prior report to the
Texas Education Agency, November 2016
15
.
Our FY2022 ended on May 31, 2022. Data on sources of funds and expenditures are up to date as of
July 30, 2022, and represent preliminary actuals, which may shift as we complete our audit process.
15
http://tea.texas.gov/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=51539611216,, p.33-37
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 21 of 26
Texas FY22 (June 1, 2021 - May 31, 2022)
FY22 Report
Final
Approved Budget
Variance
FUNDRAISING
Foundation
3,985,155
4,500,000
(514,845)
Corporate
981,992
1,200,000
(218,008)
Individual
1,670,832
2,000,000
(329,168)
State
6,113,586
5,696,354
417,232
Federal
505,223
478,268
26,955
School Partnership
2,537,150
2,800,000
(262,850)
Event
178,383
350,000
(171,617)
National Contributions & Other
Income
1,707,304
2,385,835
(678,531)
TOTAL FUNDRAISING
17,679,625
19,410,457
(1,730,832)
EXPENSES
Corps Member Recruitment,
Selection & Placement
4,913,325
5,682,479
769,154
Pre-Service Institute
2,943,229
3,015,634
72,405
Corps Member Professional
Development & Other
7,268,924
7,924,790
655,866
Alumni Affairs
1,990,739
2,291,824
301,085
Total Program Expenses
17,116,217
18,914,728
1,798,510
Management & General
108,791
80,354
(28,437)
Fundraising
454,617
415,375
(39,242)
Total Support Expenses
563,408
495,729
(67,679)
TOTAL EXPENSES
17,679,625
19,410,457
1,730,831
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 22 of 26
B. Performance Measures (2021-2022)
# Performance Measure Outcome
1
Number of first- and second-year corps
member participants in the targeted areas of
Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio,
and the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area
schools, specified by school year and public
school district or charter campus to which
they are assigned.
2021-2022SY
● 306 members of the 2020 cohort
● 311members of the 2021 cohort
Note: Table with district/charter assignment
found in Appendix C, below.
2
Percent and number of participating corps
members provided guidance, resources, and
mentoring as appropriate by a local contact.
2020-2021SY
● 100%/306 members of the 2020
cohort
● 100%/311 members of the 2021
cohort
3
Average number of hours per week that a
participating corps member receives in
research-based mentoring from TFA staff or
local school district.
1.5 hours per week
4
Percent and number of TFA corps members
who are placed in Math, Science, or
Bilingual/ESL courses in each of the targeted
areas.
Dallas – Fort Worth:
● Math: 84/225 (37%)
● Science: 50/225 (22%)
● Bilingual/ESL: 13/225 (6%)
Houston:
● Math: 55/225 (24%)
● Science: 28/225 (17%)
● Bilingual/ESL: 25/225 (12%)
Rio Grande Valley:
● Math: 8/55 (14%)
● Science: 15/55 (26%)
● Bilingual/ESL: 22/55 (40%)
San Antonio:
● Math: 52/112 (46%)
● Science: 18/112 (15%)
● Bilingual/ESL: 8/112 (7%)
5
Percent and number of recruits that
complete the specific program/training in
Math, Science, or Bilingual/ESL in Houston
area schools.
Houston:
● Math: 55/225 (24%)
● Science: 28/225 (17%)
● Bilingual/ESL: 25/225 (12%)
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 23 of 26
6
Percent and number of recruits that
complete a specific program/training in
Math, Science, or Bilingual/ESL in Rio Grande
Valley area schools
Rio Grande Valley:
● Math: 8/55 (14%)
● Science: 15/55 (26%)
● Bilingual/ESL: 22/55 (40%)
7
Percent and number of recruits that
complete a specific program/training in
Math, Science, or Bilingual/ESL in Dallas/Fort
Worth Metroplex area schools.
Dallas – Fort Worth:
● Math: 84/225 (37%)
● Science: 50/225 (22%)
● Bilingual/ESL: 13/225 (6%)
8
Percent and number of recruits that
complete a specific program/training in
Math, Science, or Bilingual/ESL in San
Antonio area schools.
San Antonio:
● Math: 52/112 (46%)
● Science: 18/112 (15%)
● Bilingual/ESL: 8/112 (7%)
9
Retention rate of TFA corps members placed
in Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, San
Antonio, and the Dallas/Fort Worth
Metroplex area.
Dallas – Fort Worth:
● 90%
Houston:
● 92%
Rio Grande Valley:
● 91%
San Antonio:
● 81%
10
Percent of students served by TFA corps
members who demonstrate student
achievement in Math, Science, and
Bilingual/ESL (if applicable) in each of the
targeted areas.
Math (STAAR Index 1)
• Approaches+ = 56%
• Meets+ = 26%
• Masters+ = 9%
Science (STAAR Index 1)
• Approaches+ = 64%
• Meets+ = 33%
• Masters+ = 10%
Bilingual (STAAR Index 1)
• N/A given student level data masking
11
Aggregated data on the percent of
economically disadvantaged students served
by TFA corps members who demonstrate
improvement in student achievement in
each of the targeted areas.
Note: Teach for America cannot differentiate
student achievement data based on students’
economic status due to student level data
masking; since we do focus our partnership
with districts and schools on low-income
students as a rule, we are reporting on the
aggregate achievement of all students.
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 24 of 26
Math (STAAR Index 1)
• Approaches+ = 56%
• Meets+ = 26%
• Masters+ = 9%
Science (STAAR Index 1)
• Approaches+ = 64%
• Meets+ = 33%
• Masters+ = 10%
Reading (STAAR Index 1)
• Approaches+ = 66%
• Meets+ = 39%
• Masters+ = 19%
Bilingual (STAAR Index 1)
• N/A given student level data masking
12
Percent of corps members who earned a
State of Texas Teaching Certificate after the
second year in each of the targeted areas.
● 90%
13
Percentage of principals who rate their level
of satisfaction with TFA corps members’
performance at above average or higher.
● 92%
14
Percent and number comparison between
the target and actual numbers of TFA corps
members recruited and placed in the Rio
Grande Valley, Houston, San Antonio, and
Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
All Texas:
● 246/245 (100%)
Dallas Fort Worth:
● 81/80 (101%)
Houston:
● 100/100 (100%)
Rio Grande Valley:
● 25/25 (100%)
San Antonio:
● 40/40 (100%)
15
Number of Teach for America graduates in
the state who are employed by a public
school district or charter, by school year.
Include length of service, job title, district or
charter campus of current employment, and
2,189, additional detail available in Appendix
D
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 25 of 26
district or charter campus to which the
graduate was initially assigned.
16
Number of Teach for America graduates in
the state who are no longer employed by a
public school district or charter, and length
of service. Provide reason for leaving public
school employment as applicable based on
available data surveys and rate of response.
2,736, additional detail in Appendix E
17
Demographic information on Teach for
America first- and second-year corps
members and
graduates to include birthdate,
gender, race/ethnicity, institution of higher
education where undergraduate degree was
earned, undergraduate major, and the
educator preparation program enrolled in.
5,546, additional detail in Appendix F
Teach For America – Texas, Update to the Texas Education Agency, 2021-2022 Page 26 of 26
C. LEA Partners (2021-2022)
2021-2022 Dallas - Fort Worth District/Charter Partners
Teachers
Dallas ISD
95
Fort Worth ISD
43
IDEA Public Schools
12
KIPP Texas Public Schools
14
Richardson ISD
18
Uplift Education
43
2021-2022 Houston District/Charter Partners
Teachers
Aldine ISD
60
Baker Ripley
8
Houston ISD
73
KIPP Texas Public Schools
46
YES Prep Public Schools
38
2021-2022 Rio Grande Valley District/Charter Partners
Teachers
Donna ISD
7
Edcouch Elsa ISD
2
Harlingen CISD
6
IDEA Public Schools
19
Pharr - San Juan - Alamo ISD
10
Point Isabel ISD
1
Rio Grande City CISD
5
Roma ISD
1
San Benito ISD
1
Vanguard Academy
1
2021-2022 San Antonio District/Charter Partners
Teachers
Compass Rose Public Schools
7
Edgewood ISD
6
IDEA Public Schools
9
KIPP Texas Public Schools
17
Pre-K 4 SA
1
San Antonio ISD
70
