Since 2009, educators who are part of Teach For America DFW have impacted more than 425,000 local students. In the 2021-2022 school year alone, more than 20,000 students in classrooms across the regions are being taught by members.

Today, those teachers and students got a major boost by way of $650,000 in funding from the OneStar Foundation, the Governor-designated National Service Commission in Texas. In addition to Dallas-Fort Worth, the award is designated for Teach For America programs in Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, and San Antonio for the upcoming school year.

The grant is part of a larger $21.6 million in federal funding that Texas received from AmeriCorps. OneStar Foundation administers the AmeriCorps State grant program, with governor-appointed board members overseeing the legal and policy governance of the Texas program’s portfolio.

AmeriCorps, formerly as the Corporation for National and Community Service, is a federal agency dedicated to volunteering and service efforts across the country. It engages millions through its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs.

Teach For America is a member of the AmeriCorps national service network. This year, in Texas, more than 650 Teach For America AmeriCorps members are overseeing classrooms and 4,500 alumni are working in other roles to expand educational opportunities.

According to the organizations, more than 77 percent of those alumni sit in roles that directly impact education or low-income communities.  

The $650K in funding is critical, as students and teachers are emerging from a harrowing 18 months, Robert Carreon, VP of Texas Public Affairs for Teach For America, says. He thinks there’s vast headway needed to ensure kids are thriving academically and emotionally.

“AmeriCorps funding has enabled us to bring in hundreds of educators this year who have chosen public service, are dedicated to Texas students, and ready to engage in classrooms and communities,” Carreon said in a news release. “We could not be more grateful for OneStar and AmeriCorps’ support and the crucial leadership they empower across our state.” 

AmeriCorps plans to make an additional $4.1 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards available for Teach For America AmeriCorps members funded by these grants. Once a full term of service is complete, members earn around $6,345 to be used for college or student loan debt.

The Education Awards allow corps members to be recruited for Teach for America in Texas. Last year, 52 percent of Texas corps members received Pell grants and 35 percent were the first to attend college in their family, according to the organizations.

Teach For America has had a presence in the state since 1991, and later joined the AmeriCorps network when the federal program originally launched in 1994. The organization has a physical presence in Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio, but alumni and members span across Texas.

In all, Teach For America has partnerships—with district leaders, urban and rural communities, donors, members—in more than 50 regions across the U.S. The organizations collaborates with these partners to widen children’s access to education, improve student outcomes, increase graduation rate, and amplify student achievement.

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