Illuminate Every Learner
2022 - 2023 Annual Report
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.
Our Vision One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
Our 2030 Goal To see twice as many children across Houston reach key college and career readiness milestones, indicating they are on a path to economic mobility and a future filled with possibility.
Table of Contents: 06 Letter From Our Executive Director 07 Our Corps Network 08 The Alumni Movement 09 The Ignite Fellowship Program 10 Ignite Potential Luncheon 11 Our Impactful Partners 12 Our Financials: Fiscal Year 2023 13 Our Regional Advisory Board: 2023-2024
TFA has continued to open doors for me as I commit to developing my own leadership capacity. The resources, connections, and encouragement from TFA throughout the years has definitely made me a much stronger leader and, therefore, a much better influence on others. -Whitney Harris (Houston ‘11)
06
Dear Friends and Supporters, With great excitement and profound gratitude, I am thrilled to share Teach For America Houston’s annual report for the 2022-23 school year, characterized by remarkable progress and transformative achievements for our organization and the students we serve. As we reflect on the past year, it is inspiring to see the impact we are making, in partnership with the community, on Houston’s educational landscape.
Tiffany Cuellar Needham Executive Director Teach For America Houston
Our first commitment remains to our students, who still feel the effects of educational disruptions following the pandemic. Each of these students needs and deserves access to high-quality academic support tailored to their unique challenges. We know this begins with placing leaders who are passionate about educational equity in classrooms. We rely on our teachers more than ever to help bridge significant learning gaps, even as they face continued challenges and burnout. Nonetheless, Houston remains a desired location for our teachers, with a 50% increase in the incoming corps this school year. Successful recruitment of new corps members starts with our investment in critical innovations to support our teachers and students. In 2022-23, we increased our teachers’ mental health resources and professional development opportunities, including financial literacy workshops, networking opportunities with local school districts, special training focused on culturally relevant pedagogy, and wellness programming. We are doubling down on supporting our students and teachers through the Ignite Fellowship, our virtual high-dosage tutoring corps. This program supports students who need additional help in math and reading to catch up from learning loss. The success of these measures is borne out by results, with our corps members and alumni earning Rookie of the Year and Teacher of the Year accolades. With an increase in corps size, we will be able to serve more students and achieve greater impact in the coming years. I invite you to learn more by immersing yourself in our annual report, celebrating our collective achievements, and joining me in envisioning the endless possibilities that lie ahead as we Illuminate Every Learner. In strength and solidarity,
Tiffany Cuellar Needham
07 Our Corps Network This year, we continued our efforts to transform the education system by recruiting the next generation of leaders, working
202
1st & 2nd Year Corps Members
hand-in-hand with students and communities to reimagine the future of learning. We prepared our newest corps members with an eight-week
Students impacted by 2022-23 TFA corps members
17,000+
Pre-Service. The first five weeks consisted of intensive, highquality professional development and community-building activities that prepared corps members to teach on the first day of school. The training concluded with a three-week practicum –
84%
of Corps Members Come From Underrepresented Backgrounds
direct classroom teaching experience by teaching summer school at a partner campus in Houston ISD (Wharton Dual Language or Gregory Lincoln Middle School) or BakerRipley Community Schools (BakerRipley or BakerRipley at Ripley House). This allowed Houston corps members to gain practical experience with Pre-Service training concepts and a student
69%
50%
body similar to their fall classrooms before the academic year began. To stay responsive to our teachers’ development in a highly
Low Income Background
First in their Family to Graduate From College
evolving environment, we continued to innovate by offering customized support to our network of educators, focusing on wellness, learning environments, social and emotional learning,
2022-2023 Placement Partners
special education, leadership, and more.
Illuminated Teachers Fuel Student Success Miles Aceves-Lewis was born and raised in Houston, TX, where his parents prioritized the importance of an excellent education. Miles attended seven different schools during his secondary journey, providing him with a breadth of experience in varied educational settings, a foundation of resilience and commitment to his academic goals. Despite often moving schools, Miles excelled academically. He had caring teachers who consistently believed in his potential and challenged him to be his best. One of these teachers was a Teach for America corps member, who mentored him and further displayed the power of great teachers.
...building his students’ self-confidence and self-perception has resulted in higher academic achievement, classroom belonging, and an understanding of their unlimited potential.
Upon graduating high school, Miles attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he furthered his passion for community service by mentoring students in after-school programs, youth leadership summits, and more. Combining this passion with his love of education, he knew that teaching would be the perfect opportunity to make an impact in the same ways his teachers did for him.
Miles Aceves-Lewis (‘22) 9th & 10th Grade Math
Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center High School
Returning to his hometown, Miles joined Teach For America as a second-generation corps member, teaching 9th and 10th grade math. He is energized by unapologetically affirming, encouraging, and emotionally supporting his students, alongside teaching the math skills necessary for their coursework. He has found that building his students’ self-confidence and self-perception has resulted in higher academic achievement, classroom belonging, and an understanding of their unlimited potential.
08 The Alumni Movement TFA Houston supports our dynamic alumni by providing ongoing professional development, networking opportunities, and talent placement.
1,800+ Alumni
~70%
of Corps Members Continue to Work in Education After 2 Years
After completing their two-year commitment, our alumni continue shaping the Houston educational landscape: from individual classrooms to education-related nonprofits and entire school systems. We support over 1,800 alumni, with a special focus on programming for our alumni still teaching in Houston schools and those who have assumed educational leadership roles outside of classrooms. TFA Houston alumni have founded or led more than 20 local education nonprofits, including EMERGE, Latinos for Education, Good Reason Houston, Families Empowered, ProUnitas, OneGoal, DiscoverU, and BridgeYear. Our alumni also lead local school districts as superintendents/deputy superintendents or executive directors in Houston ISD, IDEA Public Schools, KIPP Texas Public Schools, YES Prep Public Schools, and Yellowstone Academy, and work as principals in more than 40 public schools.
Alumni Professional Development Opportunities The Alumni Mentorship Program
Team Leadership Intensive
Conversation Cafes
In collaboration with our charter school partners, we identified four exceptional TFA alumni leaders to support and mentor two to three corps members on their campuses. TFA Houston used a cohort model to provide mentors with ongoing development and learning, which our alumni put into practice as they mentored corps members.
In partnership with KIPP Texas, this program provided professional development for 30 mid-level leaders (e.g., Instructional coaches) across 10 KIPP Texas-Houston campuses. This week-long series focused on leadership reflections, skill-building, and decentering white dominant culture in leadership.
We provided opportunities for alumni to come together in informal settings and discuss key topics and challenges towards educational equality. These “Cafes” allowed alumni to network and build connections across Houston, in addition to giving alumni the chance to learn from experts and one another.
A Lifelong Commitment to Education Justin Ritsema was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. Growing up, he experienced an incredible public education where he was continuously challenged from kindergarten to high school and given every opportunity to reach his potential. He would soon realize this was not the standard for all students. After high school, Justin attended East Carolina University and noticed the stark differences in educational experiences across his peer group. His freshman roommate, on a path to medical school, struggled to pass his classes, even though he graduated as Valedictorian from his high school and was giving his all to succeed. It troubled Justin to see him struggle and eventually watch him drop out of college and give away his medical school spot that he had worked so hard for. This experience, in conjunction with his time working with children through a YMCA program, spurred Justin to take action to close the educational gaps he was seeing. Justin joined TFA in 2009 in pursuit of excellent education for all students. His career began as a fifth-grade teacher and spanned to various roles with broader impact, including Teacher Development Specialist and Assistant Principal. Now in his third year as principal of James DeAnda Elementary and with 14+ years in education under his belt, he continues to be energized by the work at hand. He challenges himself and his staff to assess the best ways to show up for their students and families while not being afraid to push the status quo.
Now in his third year as principal of James DeAnda Elementary and 14+ years in education under his belt, he continues to be energized by the work at hand.
Justin Ritsema (HOU ‘09) Principal His work began in the classroom and has now grown into helping both students and his staff see the James DeAnda Elementary greatness within themselves and the impact they can have if they’re willing to put in the work.
09 The Ignite Fellowship Program Our Ignite Fellowship Program (Ignite) doubles down on the support we offer Houston students by ensuring they are equipped to meet critical reading and math milestones. Ignite accelerates learning and fosters belonging with students and schools through high-dosage tutoring. In our third year, Ignite delivered strong results (see right). The program builds on Teach For America’s over 30 years of experience recruiting, developing, and supporting talent and partnering with communities across the country to help students overcome the systemic barriers to an excellent education.
352
Students Impacted
124 12,180 Fellows (Tutors)
Additional Hours of Learning
98%
of Fellows gained new insights about the state of education and their role in working towards educational equity.
Our Goals: To bridge gaps in reading and math learning, both key determinants of success in secondary education and economic mobility.
To foster student belonging, which translates to an increased likelihood of high school graduation.
To engage early-career college students and develop their educational equity mindsets.
Deepening Ignite’s Impact in 2023-24 After another successful year of the Ignite program, TFA Houston will continue to provide customized math and reading tutoring to elementary and middle school students needing additional support, deepening the impact of TFA across our city.
Ignite Provides a Pipeline for Impactful Teachers A tertiary goal of Ignite is to create a corps member pipeline from Fellows into corps members. Twenty-nine Teach For America Houston Fellows applied to join the 2023 corps and 17 accepted an offer.
Accelerate Learning
91%
of schools reported positive impact on students' academic growth.
Foster Belonging
100%
of students said they felt they belong in Ignite tutoring sessions.
97%
of students said they enjoyed learning with their Tutor.
10 Ignite Potential Luncheon Our inaugural Ignite Potential Luncheon was a vibrant display of our community, with our partners and steadfast supporters coming together to reflect on the impact of Teach For America. We also honored Bob Harvey, President & CEO of Greater Houston Partnership, and invited Dr. Ruth N. López Turley and Dr. Erin Baumgartner, both of Rice University, to speak on ways we can partner for educational equity, the importance of Pre-K, supporting our educators and preparing our students for post-secondary success. Our hearts are full of gratitude for everyone who created a memorable luncheon enriched with stories of partnership, Honoree recognition, and fun. Each attendee made an extraordinary impact on our students. A gathering of 220+ friends and supporters, each united by a shared belief in the transformative power of education, came together to raise over $380,000 in unwavering support of our mission. The day was a testament to the collective strength of our community and a reaffirmation of our commitment to shaping a brighter future through education.
11 Our Impactful Partners Teach For America Houston is deeply grateful for the support of the following individuals, corporations, and foundations that contributed $250+ to our efforts in our most recent fiscal year (June 1, 2022-May 31, 2023). $100,000+
$5,000-$9,999
$250-$999
AmeriCorps: OneStar Dan L. Duncan Foundation Greater Texas Foundation (multi-region support) H-E-B (multi-region support) Janet F. Clark Rockwell Fund, Inc. Samuels Family Foundation Scurlock Foundation Texas Education Agency The Brown Foundation The Cullen Foundation The Meadows Foundation (multi-region support)
Greater Houston Partnership Hines J Squared Family Foundation Jarrett Whitaker Jennifer and Gregg Costa Jenny and Chris Johnson Josephine and Richard Smith Kathy and Brian Reid Kristen Habich Lori and Robert Sherman Pamela Campbell Posey-Glickert Foundation The Abra & Jim Wilkin Fund The Mendelsohn Family Fund Tommy Inglesby and Rebecca Seidl-Inglesby Valero
Amber McCoy Armando Orduna Burdine Johnson Burke Butler Carolyn Sabat Carrie M. Horne Christian and William Manuel Clare Casademont and Michael Metz Claudia & Max Brodsky Denise and Elliot Smith Dorothy and Mickey Ables Dr. Robert Satcher, Jr. Elizabeth H Crowell Elyse Swallow Erika Toussaint Hannah Johns Jack O'Neill James Hernandez Jenny and Jim Elkins Family Fund Jessica Vasan Jill L. Hoogendyk Karima Wilson Layla and Will Lumpkin Magdalena Lussier-Gan Margrit Young-Zellweger Mary Kay Casey Mary O'Black Mrs. Nancy P. Thompson Ms. Shelley Matthew Ms. Tarah Burris Myrla Feria Nancy Manderson Nancy Powell Moore Pamela Gray Peyton Popp Robert H. Blocker Sandra Nuñez Sandy Domingo Scarlett Hankey Shawn L. Raymond
$25,000 - $99,999 Asha and Farid Virani CFP Foundation C.T. Bauer Foundation ConocoPhillips Cynthia and Ben Guill EOG Resources ExxonMobil Foundation Group 1 Automotive, Inc. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo John P. McGovern Foundation Louisa Sarofim MD Anderson Foundation The Powell Foundation Vivian L. Smith Foundation
$10,000-$24,999 AIM Foundation Cathryn and Doug Selman Eddie & Chinhui Allen Edith and Robert Zinn George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation GRITS Foundation JPMorgan Chase & Co. Lisa and Will Mathis Maconda and Sacha Abinader Sangita and Colin Pogge The Clayton Fund, Inc. The Tapeats Fund Zinn Petroleum Company
$5,000-$9,999 Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation Andrea Alexander AnnaLee and Andy Waite Annie and Bob Graham Ava and Cordell Haymon Emerson Electric Co. Good Reason Houston
$1,000-$4,999 Amegy Bank April Bailey Barbara and Louis Sklar Bettie Cartwright Brett Mossman Caitlin and Ryan Pickard Candice Koederitz David Sheeren Felix and Angela Morales Memorial Gregory Schenck Jeffrey and Margaret Tucker Jennifer Stillman Jill and Dunham Jewett Kate and Malcolm Hawk Kathryn and Richard Rabinow Kimberly J. Sterling Lenox Reed Leslie and Jack Blanton, Jr. Marci Rosenberg and Ben Samuels Mark Endacott Gregg Molly and James Crownover Monica Fulton Morgan and Christopher Hollins Nancy McGregor and Neal Manne Nora Ackerley Patricia and Lawrence Mullen Paul and Channing Davey Philip Wright Simin Banister The Willard and Ruth Johnson Charitable Foundation Tiffany and Paul Needham Vera and Andy Baker
Susan K. Sclafani Sydney Eifler Sylvanus Polky Tatianna Yale United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley Virginia A Clark Zoe Alterman
Virginia and Richard Mithoff Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron
School District Partners We are grateful for our school district partners: Aldine ISD, BakerRipley Community Schools, Houston ISD, KIPP: Texas Public Schools - Houston, and YES Prep Public Schools.
12 Our Financials: Fiscal Year 2023
5% Individuals
Co rpo rat e
National Investment
Individ uals
Revenue 4% Corporate 24% Foundation 29% State (TEA & Americorps) 11% School Partnerships Previously Raised
2% Federal
Foundation
9% Previously Raised 16% National Investment
Federal
School Partnerships State (TEA & Americorps)
Management, General, & Fundraising
Alum ni Su ppor t
Corps Member Recruitment & Placement
Ignite Fellowship
Expenses 27% Corps Member Recruitment & Placement 17% Corps Member Pre-Service Training & Prep 28% Ongoing Teacher Development & Support 6% Ignite Fellowship 8% Alumni Support 14% Management, General, & Fundraising
Ongoing Teacher Development & Support
Corps Member Pre-Service Training & Prep
13 Our Regional Advisory Board: 2023-2024 Ben Samuels
Co-Board Chair Community Leader Former CEO, Victory Packaging
Farid Virani
Co-Board Chair CEO & President, Prime Communications
Josephine Smith
Kristen Habich Bay Area, 1991
Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
James Hernandez
Attorney, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP
Tommy Inglesby Managing Partner, Accenture
Founding Board Chair Community Leader, Retired Educator
Chris Johnson
Sacha Abinader
Caitlin Pickard
Managing Director, Accenture
Andrea Alexander New York City, 2004
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Office, Coterra
Deborah Cannon Retired CEO, Houston Zoo
Gregg Costa
Chief Financial Officer, Athlon Solutions
Houston, 2005
Vice President, Investment Management Division, Goldman Sachs & Co.
Colin Pogge Houston, 2005
Shareholder, Daly & Black
Dr. Robert Satcher
Faculty Physician, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Doug Selman
Partner, Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher, LLP
Community Leader Retired Vice President, Research and Development ExxonMobil Chemical Company
Ben Guill
Lori Sherman
Mississippi Delta, 1994
Managing Partner, White Deer Energy
President, Sun Coast Resources, Inc.
Thank You
Thank you for your support of Teach For America Houston for the 2022-2023 school year. Your support was critical to our organization’s ability to recruit, train, and catalyze corps members and alumni to effect change in public education throughout Houston. We will continue our efforts to recruit excellent talent into our region, while supporting our growing alumni base in their efforts to improve learning possibilities for economically disadvantaged youth in our city. Your belief in our mission has enabled us to realize great progress in training and developing corps members, driving positive student outcomes, leveraging strategic partnerships, and propelling our alumni leadership and impact in this last academic year. With you, we can continue to illuminate every learner in Houston.
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