U of M announces non-renewal of contract with Teach for America

The University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) announced today it will not be renewing the contract with Teach for America (TFA) to offer an alternative pathway to teaching program. As a result, CEHD will not admit new corps members to a 2017 cohort.

“We value what we’ve learned from our partnership with TFA and the many things the talented corps members have taught us about how teachers grow and develop their expertise as they simultaneously serve as the teacher of record,” said CEHD Dean Jean Quam. “However, the program has an unsustainable funding model and dwindling numbers of corps members. The best use of our limited resources is to focus on innovative curriculum development and ways to prepare teachers in partnership with our K-12 colleagues.”

Further, this decision will not impact the many other teacher licensure programs and pathways at the University. As a land-grant institution, the University is committed to providing multiple pathway programs to teaching, which includes working side-by-side with K-12 educators to ensure that teachers are prepared and then supported in their early years of teaching. Work will continue to prepare teachers who teach in multiple school settings—including rural and high-need schools—so they can meet the needs of Minnesota’s children.

Research indicates that programs such as the Minneapolis Residency Program (MRP), developed with Minneapolis Public Schools to grow their own talent pool of teachers; the Emotional Behavioral Disorder (EBD) Program for special education teaching aides, created with K-12 colleagues across several districts; and the Dual Language and Immersion licensure program for elementary teachers across multiple school districts are the most promising routes to preparing and retaining diverse, high-quality teachers.

Corps members currently in the TFA program who are part of the 2015 and 2016 cohorts will continue in their high-quality, University preparation to enable them to be recommended for teacher licensure in May 2017 and 2018, respectively.