Latest news with #TeachForAmerica
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion: Teach For America Should Embrace Apprenticeship Model Amid AmeriCorps Cuts
Teach For America (TFA) has long worked to bring talented individuals into classrooms across the country, particularly in schools facing persistent staffing shortages. But with recent cuts to AmeriCorps funding — a key funding source which supports TFA corps members —TFA must consider new, sustainable approaches to preparing future teachers. As the saying goes: never let a crisis go to waste. These cuts present a chance for TFA not only to address its funding structure, but also to rethink how it prepares the young people it recruits. Now is the right time to evolve the model in ways that improve both financial sustainability and teacher readiness. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter I say this not as an outsider, but as someone who went through the program. I'm a Teach for America alum, and like many of my peers, I entered the classroom deeply committed — but not fully prepared. I cared about my students, I believed in the mission, but I didn't have enough time, training, or support to meet the demands of the job on day one. That experience has stayed with me and shaped my thinking about what future corps members need. One powerful way forward for TFA? Become a registered apprenticeship program. Registered apprenticeships are gaining traction as a practical solution to the national teacher shortage. These programs allow individuals to earn while they learn, combining paid, on-the-job experience with structured training and support. For TFA, integrating into this model could strengthen the quality of corps member preparation while opening up access to federal and state workforce funding. Related Rather than placing corps members into classrooms after only a few weeks of training, TFA could design a first-year experience as a paraprofessional apprenticeship. During this year, participants would work under the guidance of a certified teacher while gaining real-time experience and completing relevant coursework. The result: corps members who are more confident, capable, and better prepared to take on full teaching responsibilities in their second year and beyond. This would be a meaningful shift from the current model, which places new corps members in lead teaching roles almost immediately. But the whole point of an apprenticeship is that someone learns to do the job — they're not expected to fully do the job on day one. That's what separates this model from TFA and why it has become so attractive to states seeking to address both quality and pipeline issues. TFA could also offer an early admittance track. College seniors accepted into the corps could spend their final year of college working part-time as paraprofessionals in local schools. This would give them an earlier entry point into the profession while helping districts meet staffing needs and reducing the ramp-up time before full-time teaching begins. TFA has already laid the groundwork for the registered apprenticeship approach. In Memphis and Nashville, the organization operates as its own educator preparation provider (EPP), training corps members directly in alignment with its expectations and priorities. Expanding this model to additional states — particularly those supportive of registered apprenticeships — would give TFA greater control over training while accessing workforce dollars to support instruction, coaching, and operational costs. In states like Arkansas, TFA could consider a different kind of partnership. The Arkansas Department of Education has created its own EPP and is launching a K-12 special education teacher registered apprenticeship program. TFA could partner with such states to enroll corps members in high-quality, state-run programs at no cost. These arrangements would allow TFA to focus on recruitment, placement, and ongoing support while relying on the state's infrastructure for licensure and training. These strategies offer clear financial benefits. Apprenticeship funding can cover tuition, licensure costs, and other expenses currently borne by TFA or corps members. In a time of tightening budgets and rising preparation costs, these savings could help TFA maintain or expand its footprint without compromising on quality. It would also allow the organization to better support the people it recruits, many of whom want to become effective teachers but find themselves underprepared and overwhelmed. By investing in a more gradual and structured on-ramp into the profession, TFA can reduce burnout, improve retention, and ultimately deliver better results for students. TFA has always been known for innovation and responsiveness to the needs of schools. By embracing the registered apprenticeship model, it can meet this moment with a new strategy: one that addresses the funding crisis head-on while finally tackling long-standing concerns about corps member readiness. This is not about walking away from the core of what made TFA successful. It's about strengthening it. Apprenticeship offers a chance to double down on the mission by building a better bridge into teaching, honoring the complexity of the role and giving new educators the time, training, and support they deserve.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ripple's RLUSD in Focus as Firm Pledges $25M to U.S. Educational Initiatives
Payments firm Ripple has pledged $25 million to support educational initiatives in the U.S., with most of the disbursement in its RLUSD stablecoin. The funds will be distributed throughout 2025. Some $15 million is dedicated to teachers through DonorsChoose, and $10 million will go to Teach For America. The donation is in partnership with The Giving Block, coming at a critical time for education in the U.S. as ongoing federal funding cuts are causing significant uncertainty among educational institutions and educators alike. The Giving Block also added support for donations using RLUSD, Ripple's U.S. dollar pegged stablecoin, as the token gains traction in a crowded market. Such transfers boost the token's visibility and usecase, however, some developers say. "Stablecoins like RLUSD are proving their value in real-world applications like donations and large-scale transactions,' Panos Mekras, CEO of Anodos Labs, a DeFi project on XRPL, said in a Telegram message. 'They offer fast, low-cost transfers, free from middlemen and banking restrictions, making them ideal for moving significant amounts efficiently and transparently, as Ripple's donation demonstrates." RLUSD has a circulating supply of $316 million as of Tuesday, data shows. Security features make RLUSD appealing to institutional users. An XRP Ledger amendment in January saw a 'clawback' feature go live on the network, allowing the issuer to reclaim or "claw back" certain tokens, such as RLUSD, from users' wallets under specific conditions.
Business Wire
05-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Ripple Pledges $25M to Support U.S. Classrooms and Teachers
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ripple, the leading provider of digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions, today announced a $25 million commitment to leading education nonprofits DonorsChoose and Teach For America. This funding will equip young Americans and educators alike with the resources needed to improve academic outcomes, build economic resilience and thrive in a rapidly evolving job market. Despite clear links between grade-level literacy and lifetime economic opportunity, many classrooms still face significant challenges in accessing adequate resources to enable all students to fulfill their academic potential. According to a 2024 Gallup survey, 55% of U.S. parents and adults are dissatisfied with the quality of K-12 education in America, reflecting broader concerns about constraints and gaps in funding for education. Ripple's commitment aims to help bridge this gap by supporting students, teachers and staff with the resources to re-build confidence and deliver results in the classroom. 'Ripple has always championed financial and educational access for all, and we're partnering with some of the most impactful organizations – DonorsChoose and Teach For America – to benefit thousands of classrooms across the U.S.,' said Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple. 'Together, we hope to inspire others to do the same, starting with Teacher Appreciation Week, and leading into the rest of the year to support students and teachers with the resources they need to build a stronger future for themselves and their communities.' In a first-of-its-kind initiative, DonorsChoose and Teach For America will accept the majority of the $25 million grant in Ripple USD (RLUSD), Ripple's U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin. Stablecoins are quickly emerging as a practical method for disbursing funds, becoming the most widely used type of crypto-enabled payment mechanisms and representing over half of all onchain transaction volume in recent months according to Chainalysis data. As crypto-enabled payments become more prevalent, the ability for charitable organizations to utilize these technologies directly within their own networks through platforms such as The Giving Block will become increasingly valuable. Ripple is partnering with DonorsChoose and Teach For America to support innovative, high-impact initiatives throughout the year, including funding thousands of classroom projects and teacher requests during Teacher Appreciation Week starting today, Teach For America's Ignite tutoring program nationwide, and a national STEM Innovation Challenge. These partnerships will also support new initiatives focused on financial literacy, helping students and educators across the U.S. build strong academic foundations and economic mobility in a rapidly evolving job market. "Teachers are going the extra mile for their students' education, even spending hundreds - sometimes thousands - of dollars out-of-pocket for their classrooms," said Alix Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose. "Through their initiatives, Ripple is directly providing teachers with the resources their students need for the best education. Students will not only get their hands on materials that will enhance their learning, but they will also have the tools to help set them on the path to a bright future." 'We're deeply grateful to Ripple for this transformative support,' said Aneesh Sohoni, CEO of Teach For America. 'This funding will expand our Ignite Tutoring Fellows program, drive innovation in our Reinvention Lab, and provide crucial financial assistance to thousands of new corps members during their teacher preparation. With Ripple's partnership, we're advancing our mission to ensure every child has access to an excellent education and the opportunity to thrive." Ripple's commitment to financial literacy and education builds on its broader mission to drive meaningful impact through philanthropy and crypto-enabled solutions. Since 2018, Ripple has contributed over $200 million to global initiatives, with nearly 80% of employees participating in giving and volunteering programs. By supporting hundreds of nonprofits, mission-driven fintechs, and leading universities through its University Blockchain Research Initiative, Ripple continues to drive long-term, positive change worldwide. Those interested in fueling the future of teachers and K-12 classrooms can donate RLUSD, XRP and other cryptocurrencies via The Giving Block at About Ripple Ripple is the leading provider of digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions—delivering simple, compliant, reliable software that unlocks efficiencies, reduces friction, and enhances innovation in global finance. Ripple's solutions leverage the XRP Ledger and its native digital asset, XRP, which was purpose-built to enable fast, low-cost, highly scalable transactions across developer and financial use cases. With a proven track record working with regulators and policymakers around the world, Ripple's payments, custody and stablecoin solutions are pioneering the digital asset economy—building credibility and trust in enterprise blockchain. Together with customers, partners and the developer community, we are transforming the way the world tokenizes, stores, exchanges, and moves value. About DonorsChoose DonorsChoose is the leading way to give to public schools. Since 2000, 6.4 million people and partners have contributed $1.7 billion to support over 3 million teacher requests for classroom resources and experiences. As the most trusted crowdfunding platform for teachers, donors, and district administrators alike, DonorsChoose vets each request, ships the funded resources directly to the classroom, and provides thank yous and reporting to donors and school leaders. Charity Navigator and GuideStar have awarded DonorsChoose, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, their highest ratings for transparency and accountability. For more information, visit About Teach For America Teach For America works in partnership with communities across the country to reach One Day when every child has access to an excellent education. Founded in 1990, Teach For America finds, develops, and supports a growing network of leaders who expand opportunity for children from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that impact a young person's education. Today, Teach For America is a force of over 70,000 alumni, corps members, and Ignite fellows working in pursuit of profound change so that one day every child has the opportunity to learn, lead, thrive, and co-create a future filled with possibility. Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information, visit and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Threads. About The Giving Block The Giving Block, a Shift4 company, is the platform helping nonprofits fundraise more effectively from modern philanthropists. Pioneers of the 'Crypto Philanthropy' movement, The Giving Block developed the leading solutions for cryptocurrency donations, taking crypto and NFT donations mainstream in the nonprofit sector. The Giving Block's team then developed a stock and DAF giving experience built to empower even more donors to give. When combined, The Giving Block's product suite empowers more donors than ever to give assets to their favorite causes. Today, thousands of nonprofits are using The Giving Block to fundraise from modern philanthropists. Learn more about The Giving Block here.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How to address Oklahoma's chronic school absenteeism problem
Every child in Oklahoma deserves an excellent education. Research shows that our students aren't learning at the rate they need to. As a community we owe it to our kids to do better, and we have to start by looking at why 20% of Oklahoma students are chronically absent from school. Students who have consistent attendance perform better academically. I'm encouraged by the steps that we're seeing schools and districts take locally —implementing systems to track attendance, introduce incentive programs and monitor progress. This is vital work and needs to go hand-in-hand with community investments. As the executive director of Teach For America (TFA) in Oklahoma, my colleagues and I have the opportunity to work in partnership with five districts across Oklahoma City. Here's what we are seeing work, and how you can support local students and schools: More: Oklahoma students are missing class and failing in reading. What's happening? Don't underestimate the power of community. When schools leverage people in their communities to lend their time and talents, everyone benefits. A recent EduTalk that we hosted on the topic of chronic absenteeism brought together Ariel O'Shields, a TFA alum and the Attendance Advocacy Coordinator of Oklahoma City Public Schools, seven different school districts and teachers, school leaders, school board members, donors and community leaders to learn from evidence-based practices that are leading to increased time in school for local students. What expertise or time can you lend to your local school community? Invest in mentorship programs. Students are more motivated in school when they have strong role models. Teach For America's Ignite Fellowship is a tutoring corps designed to accelerate learning and foster belonging with students through high dosage tutoring. Fellows are bolstering academic outcomes for students and adding capacity for teachers while building relationships that increase student engagement. At Thelma Parks Elementary, 72% of third- and fourth-graders who received proficient or advanced scores on their state tests were involved in Ignite. At Santa Fe South Spero Upper Elementary School, 100% of second-grade students who entered third grade at or above grade level were a part of Ignite. Students have positive relationships with their tutors, which we know leads to increased attendance and learning. Contact your local school to see if they have a tutoring program you can support. More: Poor math and reading skills in our public schools must improve — and quickly | Opinion Give teachers the resources they need to prioritize time with students. What this can look like is providing professional development that strengthens instructional quality and student engagement — teachers have more capacity to focus on student work and relationships. Through our partnership I saw firsthand how Harding Charter Preparatory Middle School at Independence made strategic changes like increasing principal presence in classrooms to provide coaching for teachers, so that teachers could invest more in their students. As a result, the school saw student chronic absenteeism rates drop by 45%. Advocate for your local districts to receive the funding they need to invest in their greatest resources — students and teachers. Provide wraparound support to students. We know there are often many obstacles that keep students from regularly attending school. For example, research shows a correlation between kids having access to clean clothes and increased attendance, which is why we partner with Whirlpool, who installs washers and dryers in schools in Oklahoma. You don't need to be a large company to help though — donations of clean clothes, nutritious snacks, and supplies are needed by most school communities and when a student knows that their school is equipped to meet some of their basic needs, that can make a real difference in their ability to attend school. I have witnessed Oklahoma City rise and rally when we face challenges, which gives me confidence that we can come together to ensure every child achieves meaningful academic outcomes that they desire and deserve. Everyone has a part to play. Volunteer or substitute at a school, come to an EduTalk, or support a program. When Oklahoma's children succeed, we all succeed. Sarah Park is the executive director of Teach For America Oklahoma. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Here's what works to get more students into the classroom | Opinion
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion: The Next Decade in Education Demands Bold Action. Is the Nation Ready?
Members of the Maasai tribe of Kenya traditionally greet each other with 'Kasserian Ingera,' which translates to 'And how are the children?' The customary response, 'Sepati Ingera,' means 'The children are well!' This exchange reflects a deeply held belief that children's well-being is the best indicator of their society's future health and prosperity. By this measure, America is struggling. The latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress are a stark reminder that the U.S. is still deep in an education crisis. Reading scores continue to decline, math scores remain stagnant and the pandemic's impact on learning has yet to be reversed. But here's what educators and pundits alike must remember: These declines started well before the pandemic. COVID-19 didn't create this crisis; it simply exposed and accelerated it. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Still, the country's current trajectory does not have to define the future. The solutions are known. Strong improvements in reading have been seen over the last decade in states like Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, where investments in comprehensive evidence-based literacy policies and instruction have driven success. In the latest NAEP scores, Louisiana bucked national trends, coming close to full recovery from COVID-related declines in eighth-grade reading and math. In Washington, D.C., where some of the fastest student growth pre-pandemic was evident, the school district invested post-pandemic to in high-dosage tutoring and high-quality instructional materials, leading to one of the most significant gains on the 2024 test — 10 points in fourth-grade math — and outpacing other big cities and the national average in reading. Academic gains like this do not come easy. The next decade in education will require bold leadership, real urgency and a national commitment to doing better by America's kids. That's why I am excited to take the baton as the next CEO of Teach For America. TFA is an organization dedicated to recruiting, training and equipping leaders to drive change in education and to advocate for evidence-based solutions that impact kids' well-being. Our network of more than 70,000 teachers, tutors and alumni has made — and continues to make — a profound impact on rural and urban schools, advocacy organizations, ed tech startups, law, medicine, journalism and elected offices, from city halls to Congress. Every day, they work to improve literacy, math achievement and college and career readiness, while driving change in the conditions that shape educational access and opportunity. In places like Louisiana and D.C., tangible progress is evident. To extend that progress throughout the country, here's what this moment demands: First, a national goal that rallies educators, policymakers and communities around student success. The Lumina Foundation's Stronger Nation initiative has helped drive meaningful gains in postsecondary attainment. A similar commitment to early literacy and foundational math could help rebuild momentum for K-12 achievement. After all, a child's ability to read by the end of third grade is a significant predictor of future life outcomes, as is math achievement in eighth grade. Second, investments in proven solutions. High-dosage tutoring works. High-quality curricula and teacher training lead to better outcomes. Dual enrollment — offering college courses to high schoolers — helps students stay on track for college. Real-time student feedback on belonging, motivation and the relevance of their learning can further enhance instruction. A survey developed by the UChicago Consortium on School Research that TFA is implementing across corps members' classrooms has helped teachers tailor their approaches to student needs, making instruction more engaging and responsive. Yet access to these interventions and opportunities remains deeply unequal. Expanding these efforts should be a national priority. Third, teachers and education leaders who make progress possible must be supported. Interest in the profession is at a 50-year low, and many schools remain stuck in outdated models that don't meet the needs of either students or teachers. That's why Teach For America has joined organizations like TeachPlus and Education Resource Strategies in the Coalition to Reimagine the Teaching Role — to help create the conditions for educators to thrive. These include competitive compensation, professional autonomy, structured mentorship and coaching, access to high-quality instructional resources and opportunities for career advancement within the classroom. With a culture of collaboration, innovation, and ongoing professional development, educators can remain engaged and empowered to help students reach their brightest futures. This work is essential. But it extends beyond any single organization. There must be a collective effort to create lasting change that ensures all children get the education they deserve. Addressing this education crisis demands collective action in every community — students, families, educators and local leaders work together in pursuit of a shared vision. There must be the courage to acknowledge the depth of the nation's education crisis, the vision to set ambitious goals, the will to implement evidence-based interventions and solutions, and the drive to reimagine what's possible. If action is taken with urgency and purpose, the trajectory of education in America can improve. And one day, we will all be able to answer proudly and confidently, as the Maasai do: 'The children are well.'
