Appendix J

TFA Teacher Placement Policies

Teach For America corps members will apply for open positions alongside other external candidates; no positions have been guaranteed. Teach For America is responsible for supporting corps members during the placement process. The Executive Director is responsible for initiating contact with the school district and, depending on district policy, individual schools. Within the district, the Executive Director will work with district Executive Directors and HR staff members. At individual schools, the Executive Director will initiate individual contact to ensure that principals have accurate information about Teach For America, offer context on the summer training institute, and highlight the development and support the candidate will receive as corps members. The Teach For America Operations Associate will maintain a log of district and principal contact to assist with relationship-building and demonstrate transparency. To further build these relationships, we will extend opportunities for school and district leaders to participate and attend various Teach For America induction and training activities. Each district partnering with Teach For America has articulated in its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that corps member placement will be in compliance with state law. Our placement goal is to fill the highest-need positions in schools with persistent achievement gaps and/or serving a student population with high percentages of students living at or below the poverty line as evidenced by students registered to receive federal free and reduced price lunches. Teach For America will identify these schools by using district data and prioritize corps member placement in schools where there are vacancies. While both Seattle Public Schools and Federal Way Public Schools have experienced budget cuts and layoffs, we believe that there will be openings for external candidates before the start of the school year. Last year, in a similar economic climate, 200 open positions were filled during the month of August. We are committed to placing corps members in Level I & II schools, most of which have historically had openings near the end of the hiring season. In Seattle Public Schools, Teach For America aims to place corps members in Level I & II schools to address the achievement gap that exists between lowincome students and their higher-income peers. Our aim is to partner with schools, teachers, families, and community members to use data-driven methods and a transformational change framework to impact student-achievement. Potential placement schools include Bailey-Gatzert, Hawthorne, Madrona K-8, Aki Kurose, and Rainier Beach. At Rainier Beach, only 55% of 10th graders scored proficient on the state reading exam (down from 68% in 07-08 and below the district average of 75%). 14% of Rainier Beach 10th graders scored proficient on the math exam (down from 29% in 07-08 and well below the district average of 45%). Only 58% of Rainier Beach students will graduate within 4 years; 68% will graduate in 6 or fewer. We are committed to placing corps members in

Appendix J schools with this level of need. Once admitted as Teach For America corps members, our candidates submit resumes and references to the Program Directors. Teach For America will share these materials with principals based on their individual school needs. District policy will impact the role that Teach For America plays in the interview process. Corps members may schedule their own interviews or principals may reach out to the Executive Director to schedule an interview. Once a corps member is hired, the Program Directors will continue to offer support to ensure success in every placement. Program Directors will work directly with principals and other school staff members to support corps members.