Reframing Teach For America: A conceptual framework for the next generation of scholarship

Abstract

Abstract:In this article, we advance a conceptual framework for the study of Teach For America (TFA) as a political and social movement with implicit and explicit ideological and political underpinnings. We argue that the second branch of TFA's mission statement, which maintains that Education Policy Analysis Archives, Vol. 24 No.12 2 TFA's greatest point of influence in public education is not in classrooms, but in its facilitation of entry into leadership positions aimed at reshaping public schooling, can be better understood in terms of the organization's: a) infusion of "policy entrepreneurs" into educational policymaking processes; b) cultivation of powerful networks of elite interests; c) promotion of "corporate" models of managerial leadership; and, d) racial and social class identities of its corps members that facilitate entry into leadership and policy networks. Our framework is informed by the extant research literature on TFA, interview data from more than 150 alumni and corps members, and our observations of TFA's 20th Anniversary Summit in Washington, D.C., as an illustrative case of TFA's messaging and general orientation toward educational reform. We conclude that this framework can help illuminate under-examined political and ideological motivations behind the organization's activities. Keywords: Teach For America, racial inequality, policy entrepreneurs, educational leadership, urban educational reform, power networks Re-analizando Teach for America: Un marco conceptual para la próxima generación de análisis Resumen: En este artículo, presentamos un marco conceptual para el estudio de Teach For America (TFA) como movimiento político y social con fundamentos ideológicos y políticos implícitos y explícitos. Sostenemos que el segundo punto del documento que presenta la misión de TFA, indicando que el espacio de mayor influencia en la educación pública no son las aulas, sino su rol para facilitar la entrada en posiciones de liderazgo destinados a la re-hacer la escuela pública, se debe entender en términos de a) infusión de "emprendedores políticos" en procesos de política educativa;: de organización b) desarrollo de redes poderosas con intereses elitistas; c) la promoción de modelos "corporativos" de liderazgo gerencial; y, d) identidades de clase raciales y sociales de los miembros de TFA con mejores posibilidades de entrada en redes políticas y de liderazgo. Nuestro marco conceptual es informado por la literatura existente investigación sobre TFA, datos de entrevistas con 150 alumnos, y nuestras observaciones del 20 Aniversario de TFA y reunión Cumbre en Washington, DC, como un caso ilustrativo de los mensajes de TFA y la orientación general hacia la reforma educativa. Llegamos a la conclusión de que este marco conceptual ilumina aspectos poco estudiados de las motivaciones políticas e ideológicas detrás de las actividades de la organización. Palabras clave: Teach For America; desigualdad racial; emprendedores políticos, liderazgo educativo; reforma educativa urbano; redes de poder Reanalisando...

Alternative routes to teacher professional identity: Exploring the conflated sub-identities of Teach For America corps members

“…As more and more CMs enter educational policymaking, some with two years of teaching experience and limited exposure to the field before or after their TFA commitment, the political prominence and power of TFA and related programs are likely to grow. Indeed, we concur with Scott, Trujillo, and Rivera (2016), who seek to reframe TFA as more than 'just' a program, but as an increasingly powerful and transformative presence in the educational sphere, particularly as alumni move into influential roles across diverse social, financial, and political spaces:…”

“…For years the organization has decried calls for extended practicum experiences in the field as well as longer commitments to the profession (i.e., more than two years). The organization has long articulated a two-pronged approach for the program: remain a teacher, or move on to advocate for educational equity through other work (e.g., lawyer, doctor, policymaker; Blumenreich & Rogers, 2016;Scott, Trujillo, & Rivera, 2016). As Labaree (2010) rightly assessed, for CMs this presents a no-lose situation.…”

Legitimizing the Dilettante: Teach For America and the Allure of Ed Cred

“…As pop culture tropes, these conceptualizations of individual (usually white) heroism in education have broad appeal and may shape the assumptions of many people, whether or not they work in education or policymaking. The difference, however, between university-certified teachers with hero mindsets and CMs with hero mindsets is that CMs are part of an organization that uses this mindset to recruit teachers (Blumenreich & Rogers, 2016;Popkewitz, 1998;Scott et al, 2016), influence policy (Jacobsen et al, 2016), mute critics of its effects on communities of color (Barnes et al, 2016;White, 2016), and solicit financial support for its construction of a shadow teacher-preparation system (Mungal, 2016). Additionally, university-certified teachers have ostensibly prepared for a career, while CMs are merely enrolling for a Peace Corps-like gap year service experience before starting a career in policy or advocacy (Blumenreich & Rogers, 2016).…”

“…Graduates of prestigious universities may expect a level of intellectual engagement and affective payoff from teaching students from disadvantaged backgrounds (Blumenreich & Rogers, 2016;Jacobsen et al, 2016). However, the expectations of student achievement gains that many CMs have are unrealistic, and the methods that TFA requires CMs to use to produce such gains are more directive than interactional (Matsui, 2015;Scott et al, 2016;Trujillo & Scott, 2014). Matsui critiqued the improvement arcs presented in popular hero teacher films as unrealistic and simplified, comparing them directly to the inflated expectations that CMs have upon entering the classroom and that TFA as an organization has of its CMs.…”

“…TFA recruits graduating college seniors-usually with majors other than education-from prestigious universities (Blumenreich & Rogers, 2016;Scott, Trujillo, & Rivera, 2016;Trujillo & Scott, 2014). The program is highly selective, and many consider acceptance to be an honor (Cann, 2013;Kretchmar, 2014;McAdam & Brandt, 2009).…”