In 2008, 51 Teach for America
teachers came to Duval County; two years past their two-year commitment only
four remained. Then in 2009, 41 Teach for America teachers came to the county,
one-year past their commitment only ten remain.
Think about this as an economic issue, first the district pays a 2,400 hundred dollar finder’s fee for each TFA recruit, which means they are investing more in them than they do in an 8th year teacher and then schools routinely spend thousands training novice teachers and the vast amount of this money is wasted on TFA teachers because so few stay around.
Furthermore we have local teachers and college of ed grads looking for positions and they can’t find jobs. Many will have to take lower paying jobs and or rely on government services; this puts less money into local economies and unnecessarily takes money out of them. Exacerbated by the fact many Teach for America recruits head back to their hometowns once their commitment ends, well about a sixth do before their commitment ends and that if they work at a charter school, also bad for local economies then they are paid less than their public school peers..
Think about this as an economic issue, first the district pays a 2,400 hundred dollar finder’s fee for each TFA recruit, which means they are investing more in them than they do in an 8th year teacher and then schools routinely spend thousands training novice teachers and the vast amount of this money is wasted on TFA teachers because so few stay around.
Furthermore we have local teachers and college of ed grads looking for positions and they can’t find jobs. Many will have to take lower paying jobs and or rely on government services; this puts less money into local economies and unnecessarily takes money out of them. Exacerbated by the fact many Teach for America recruits head back to their hometowns once their commitment ends, well about a sixth do before their commitment ends and that if they work at a charter school, also bad for local economies then they are paid less than their public school peers..
What do the TFA teachers get in return for staying for 2 years? I heard they get their college loans paid off.
ReplyDeleteThey get an Americorps stipend (a little less than $5k/year)for each year of service that can be used to pay towards past student loans or future educational endeavors...but it does not pay off their student loans.
ReplyDeleteThis is not entirely true. I do know that they get money that can be used for higher education. I know I paid every cent for my M.A. as I was not TFA. Plus, I did not take someone else's job, stay for 2 years, and eventually leave with little to no experience and little to no lasting impact. Anyone who believes that after 2 years, one is competent at teaching, is delusional. My effectiveness came around year 4-5. It takes that long to become the artist that is a true teacher.
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