At the core of each significant
issue facing our community is the need for equity and excellence in education. We are so fortunate to have the Teach For
America program hard at work in Miami-Dade.
- Ruth Shack, President, Dade Community Foundation
Teach For America • Miami-Dade is playing a critical role in improving schools and communities. This year, a corps of nearly 100 of the nation’s top recent college graduates is working in underserved schools across Miami-Dade to ensure that students facing the challenges of poverty are given the educational opportunities they deserve. Our alumni are leaders in the classroom, in education more broadly, and across all sectors. Together, they are making educational equity a reality in Miami-Dade. Learn about living and teaching in Miami-Dade.
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Recent press coverage
During the 2008-09 school year, nearly 100 corps members are directly impacting the lives of 8,000 students in Miami-Dade. Kelli Valdez is one example of the tremendous difference our corps members are making.
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Kelli Valdez (Miami-Dade Corps '07) |
When Kelli Valdez (Corps ‘07) began teaching second grade at Chapman Elementary, not one of her students was reading on grade level. Undeterred, Kelli set high expectations for her class, aiming for 1.5 grade levels of growth for the year. The class monitored its progress using bar graphs, and Kelli also volunteered at an after-school program to give her students additional help. By year’s end, Kelli’s students surpassed their goal by growing, on average, two full grade levels in reading. One student, Luis, entered Kelli’s classroom unable to read or write in English, and was at a second grade reading level when he left. Like Kelli, our corps members are working throughout Miami-Dade to give students the academic opportunities they deserve.
Principal Satisfaction
*"Teach For America 2007 National Principal Survey,” Policy Studies Associates, July 2007.
Impact on Student Achievement
A growing body of research shows that corps members have a positive impact on their students' achievement. Read more about our impact.
Student Profile
Miami-Dade: Corps Member Placement
| Assignment | % of Corps* |
|---|---|
| Pre-K, Kindergarten | 4% |
| Elementary School, Lower (1-2) | 17% |
| Elementary School, Upper (3-5) | 19% |
| Secondary Math | 17% |
| Secondary English | 15% |
| Secondary Science | 17% |
| Secondary Social Studies | 13% |
Characteristics of the 2008 Corps
| Corps Profile | Top alma maters by market share* |
|---|---|
| Average GPA: 3.6 | Spelman College: 16% |
| Average SAT: 1320 | Morehouse College, Williams College, Yale University: 11% |
| Held leadership roles on campus: 95% | Duke University, Georgetown University, University of Chicago, Wake Forest University, Wesleyan University: 10% |
| People of color: 29% | Amherst College Harvard University, Haverford University, Notre Dame University, Princeton University, Rice University: 9% |
*Percentage of senior classes who applied to Teach For America
Fostering Alumni Leadership for Systemic Change
As the number of corps members grows, so does our alumni base. By 2010, we will have over 450 Teach For America • Miami-Dade alumni pursuing professional careers and impacting educational reform from every sector.
Gemma Torcivia (Miami-Dade Corps '04) |
Gemma Torcivia (Corps ‘04) taught reading and special education at Miami Central Senior High during her two-year teaching commitment. Her experience in the classroom inspired her to open Rise Academy-South Dade Charter School, the first tuition-free college preparatory K-8 school in Florida. Gemma also plans to expand the Rise Academy network, opening a second K-8 charter school in 2010 and a high school in 2011. Her goal is to ensure that every child in South Dade, currently one of Miami-Dade’s lowest performing academic regions, has the opportunity to attend college. Gemma is just one example of the impact our alumni continue to have in Miami-Dade.
Growing Our Impact: Funding Needs, 2007-2010
Each additional recruit is another dedicated teacher for children growing up in low-income communities in Miami-Dade, and another talented leader with the insight and commitment necessary to sustain the reform efforts underway, which is critical to the ongoing vitality of our region.
| Year | Corps Size | Revenue Needs |
|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 90 | $1.85 million |
| 2008-09 | 95* | $2 million* |
| 2009-10 | 95* | $2 million* |
*projected |
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We are grateful to have many supporters who generously contribute to our movement in Miami-Dade. The foundations, corporations and individuals listed below have made it possible for Teach For America to continue to recruit, select, train, and support teachers who are working to eliminate educational inequity in our city.
| Advisory Board |
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| Maria Alonso Senior Vice President, Market Development Manager Bank of America |
| C.L. Conroy President The Conroy Martinez Group |
| Evelyn Greer Member Miami-Dade County School Board |
| Jack Lowell Vice Chairman Flagler Real Estate Services |
| Jeffrey J. Stay Chief Relationship Officer Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler |
| Corporation, Foundation and Public Support Show more + |
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We thank the following lead corporate supporters for their extraordinary support of our work:
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$100,000 - $199,999 |
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| Bank of America |
Miami-Dade County Public Schools | |||
To support Teach For America • Miami-Dade with a gift or to request additional information about our impact or finances, please contact:
Teach For America • Miami-Dade
Dorit Matthews, Development Director
1541 Sunset Drive, Suite 201
S. Miami, FL 33143
p 305-661-1623, f 305-661-2955
dorit.matthews@teachforamerica.org
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