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In the nation’s capitol, TNTP’s partnership with the DC Public Schools has resulted in nearly 700 new teachers for high-need schools and unprecedented reforms in the District’s teacher hiring policies.

In the nation’s capitol, The New Teacher Project (TNTP) has taken a two-pronged approach to improving teacher quality. Through its partnership with the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), TNTP implemented DC Teaching Fellows, a rigorous alternate route to certification program that has transformed the supply of teacher candidates available to the hardest-to-staff subject areas and schools. TNTP also partnered with DCPS to radically overhaul the District’s teacher recruitment and hiring processes, better enabling schools to hire top teacher candidates.

 

700 Talented New Teachers for D.C. Schools

In 2000, DCPS was facing a dwindling supply of qualified teachers and turned to The New Teacher Project to implement a pipeline for accomplished career changers and recent graduates to become teaches in the District. In the eight years since, DC Teaching Fellows (DCTF) has brought nearly 700 new teachers to the District’s high-poverty, high-need schools. In 2008 alone, 1,079 individuals applied to the program, just 18 percent were accepted and 110 went on to become Fellows. These teachers exhibit a high level of achievement and dedication: In 2008, 9 in 10 new Fellows took positions in high-poverty Title I schools, 32 percent were people of color, and the average undergraduate GPA was 3.3.

DCTF plays a central role in helping the District build its ranks of quality teachers. In 2008, Fellows comprised 29 percent of all new teacher hires in DCPS. “DC Teaching Fellows are a vital part of teacher recruitment,” said one principal. “They are idealistic and driven and push others by example.”

In Focus | Math Immersion DC Teaching Fellows has implemented a new “Math Immersion” pathway to significantly expand the supply of high-quality math teachers available to District schools. Implemented in 2008, DCTF’s Math Immersion option enables eligible engineers, accountants and other individuals who did not major in math but who have significant coursework in math or related fields to complete requirements for becoming math educators. Because of this vital pipeline, DCTF quadrupled the number of math teachers it brought to the District, from four in 2007 to 16 in 2008.

 

Collaborating for Systemic Change

In addition to addressing the immediate problem of classroom vacancies, TNTP has worked hand-in-hand with DCPS to improve hiring system-wide. DCPS reached out to TNTP in 2004 to spearhead a reorganization of its Human Resources department, with a focus on teacher recruitment and selection. In 2005, TNTP helped DCPS implement a landmark initiative, Staffing for Student Achievement, to advance the budgeting process for the District by four months and allow principals to choose new hires concurrently with transferring teachers. This crucial shift would help prevent unnecessary, deleterious hiring delays.

In order to realize the recommendations of Staffing for Student Achievement, TNTP brokered a pioneering memorandum of understanding between the Washington Teachers’ Union and the District. The MOU instituted “mutual consent,” giving school leaders and teacher applicants a say in all placement decisions. The reforms also gave veteran teachers greater choice in selecting the schools to which they were transferring (either voluntarily or upon being excessed); principals could select the teachers whom they wanted; and new hires could be hired concurrently with veterans. An immediate impact was seen: In advance of the 2005-06 school year, teachers began interviewing May 1 instead of in August and the District hired nearly 70 percent of its new teachers by the end of July (it had hired just 10 percent by that time in 2004).

 

Ongoing Partnership

TNTP has met immediate, school-level needs and helped DCPS tackle broader challenges. Yet the most lasting impact may be more indirect: In 2007, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty tapped TNTP founder and CEO Michelle Rhee to become chancellor of DC Public Schools. Having spent a decade fostering TNTP’s mission of bringing outstanding teachers to high-need students, Michelle accepted Mayor Fenty’s challenge and invited two members of TNTP’s leadership team to join her. Today, public schools in the District are benefiting from Michelle’s vision and from her unwavering commitment to ensuring that all students receive an excellent education.

 

In Focus | Columbia Heights Education Campus It would be hard to accuse Columbia Heights Education Campus of setting low expectations for disadvantaged students. Housed in a relatively new complex in the Northwest quadrant of D.C., the school requires every junior and senior to take Advanced Placement (AP) English courses; students are also encouraged to take additional AP courses as part of an “AP for All“ initiative. While passage rates on AP exams are not high, participation in the AP process has changed many students’ mindsets about going to college. “I really think it is a great opportunity for people like me,” Manuel Ventura, a senior in 2008 and immigrant from El Salvador, told The Washington Post. “I feel proud of myself, and I thank all my teachers.” The 25 DC Teaching Fellows on staff at Columbia Heights EC are dedicated to raising student achievement. Dan Gordon, a 2006 Fellow and Harvard Law School graduate, teaches AP English and believes “AP for All”– which includes such demanding assignments as writing research papers - helps students feel prepared for higher education. “If they can do this, then when they get to college, they’ll be ready to succeed,” Gordon told the Post. Other Fellows are having an impact inside and outside of their classrooms. Mike Conners, a former Air Force pilot, now teaches English as a Second Language and coaches cross country and swimming. Participation in the school’s swim program has increased from five students to 20 this year under Mike’s watch (Mike was also interviewed by Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News in a piece about childhood obesity). Will Hale, a fourth-year Fellow at Columbia Heights, teaches Geometry and Algebra II and has helped the school’s math department boost achievement. “We increased our overall test scores by 20 percent in math to bring us above our AYP target,” he said. Emily Hueber, a first-year Fellow who teaches Algebra II and Intro to Business, immerses herself in supporting her students, including by co-leading a Future Business Leaders of America group. With the support of the school’s leadership and together with other teachers and community members, DC Teaching Fellows are expanding opportunities for students at Columbia Heights EC. Their work is boosting test scores, opening doorways and building a culture of excellence.