BE PART OF THE EQUATION Celine Coggins, Ph.D. Founder & CEO 1

BE PART OF THE EQUATION Overview 2 Who We Are What We Do Teaching Policy Fellows T+ Network T3: Turnaround Teacher Teams What We’ve Learned

BE PART OF THE EQUATION Mission Statement 3 The mission of Teach Plus is to improve the achievement of urban children by ensuring that a greater proportion of students have access to excellent, experienced teachers. Teach Plus runs three programs designed to place teacher leaders at the center of reform. They are the: Teaching Policy Fellowship, T+ Network, and T3: Turnaround Teacher Teams. Our programs focus on demonstrably effective teachers in the second stage of their careers (in most cases, years 3 through 10) who want to continue classroom teaching, while also expanding their impact as leaders in their schools and in state and district policy.

BE PART OF THE EQUATION 4 Nearly half of new teachers leave urban classrooms within 3 years, just as they are beginning to have the strongest impact on student learning. We’re giving effective teachers a reason to stay. Teachers are the most important factor in student achievement. Four consecutive years of excellent teachers could close the achievement gap. Over 50% of urban teachers have less than 10 years in the classroom. When effective teachers leave the classroom there is a significant cost to students and schools. Teacher experience is correlated with effectiveness. “ “ “ “ ” ” ” ” What We Know

BE PART OF THE EQUATION Teach Plus Theory of Change 5 Effective Teachers Effective Teaching Not Defined Inequitable Distribution of Teachers Lack of Leadership Opportunities Incentives to Teach in High- Need schools New Ways for Teachers to Make Impact Reward Effective Teaching Raise Student Achievement Start Goal Barriers Teach Plus High Attrition of Effective Teachers Teacher-Led Advocacy for Change

BE PART OF THE EQUATION Our Geographies 6 We work with approximately 4,500 teachers in the following cities: Boston, Chicago, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Memphis, and DC We run an online fellowship for TFA alums in the following cities: Baltimore, Durham, Las Vegas, Mississippi Delta, and New York City.

BE PART OF THE EQUATION Teaching Policy Fellowship 7 The Teaching Policy Fellows is a highly-selective program for teachers interested in having a voice in the decisions that affect their classrooms. Teachers meet in monthly sessions that during a cohort experience that spans two school years. Teachers of urban charter and district schools in years 3-10 serve in cohorts of teachers per city and earn a $3,000 stipend over 18-months. There are 175 total Teach Plus Fellows and Fellowship Alumni.

BE PART OF THE EQUATION Fellowship Impact 8 The Fellows proposed a model for staffing turnaround schools with teams of highly effective teacher leaders called T3. T3 is now operating in six of Boston Public School district’s low performing schools. Boston Indianapolis The Fellows secured a change to the teachers’ contract that incorporates performance into the layoff process, which had previously been quality-blind. The next year they advocated for a legislative change that changed layoff processes statewide. Elevating an alternative teacher voice Teach Plus Fellows have published over a dozen reports and articles in the past year and have blogs on EdWeek and Huffington Post.

BE PART OF THE EQUATION Fellowship Impact 9 Typology of Fellows Impact Innovation New Policy Implementation of Good Policy

BE PART OF THE EQUATION T+ Network 10 The T+ Network is a rapidly-growing national movement of teachers who believe a critical voice has been missing from education policy decision- making: the voice of teachers for kids. Expanding series of interactive in-person and virtual forums, we provide opportunities for teachers to give direct feedback to policy makers. Multi-tier engagement strategy to reach and mobilize the greatest number of reform-minded teachers. In-person events use live-polling to gather data from all teachers (typically over 100 per event) Online discussion forums Weekly education policy news blast Monthly education policy news letter

BE PART OF THE EQUATION T+ Network Impact 11 1) Connecting teachers to policy makers and educating them on key reform issues. Recent event speakers included Michelle Rhee, LA Superintendent John Deasey, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and AEI Director of Policy Studies Frederick Hess Recent events: Where are YOU in the Union? A conversation among early-career teachers and union leaders Moving Beyond the LA Times: How do teachers define effective teaching? Racing to the Top: A forum for teacher voice

BE PART OF THE EQUATION T+ Network Impact 12 2) Demonstrating that reform-minded teachers exist. Teach Plus has grown from 16 founding teachers to a national movement of 4,500 teachers in 2 years. 85% agree that some teachers in their building contribute more to student learning and ought to be rewarded. 89% believe it is a reasonable goal to expect teachers to attain one year’s worth of academic growth with students each year. 85% agree that some teachers in their building contribute more to student learning and ought to be rewarded. 89% believe it is a reasonable goal to expect teachers to attain one year’s worth of academic growth with students each year.

BE PART OF THE EQUATION T+ Network Impact 13 3) Providing data policy makers can use. As state policy makers were writing the MA Race to the Top proposal, 86% of T+ Network teachers agreed that growth in student learning should be included as part of a teacher’s evaluation. State leaders said this data was critical in their decision to be bold on evaluation reform. In an event with union leaders, teachers cited “I don’t agree with the union’s vision and direction” as the #1 reason they are not involved in the union. In Memphis, teachers voted on which new observation rubric to use in evaluation and how to weight the different elements of the evaluation tool. District leaders adopted teachers’ decision. 4) Connecting reform-minded teachers with each other.

BE PART OF THE EQUATION T3: Turnaround Teacher Teams 14 The T3 Initiative is a first-of-its-kind program designed to ensure that underserved students have increased access to effective, experienced teachers. The concept was developed by Boston Teaching Policy Fellows. Teacher leaders: Apply through a rigorous process that requires evidence of at least 3 years of effective teaching in an urban classroom; Work as a team that comprises at least 25% of the school staff; Receive specialized training; Take on teacher leadership roles within the school; and Earn additional compensation. T3 teachers are charged with producing dramatic gains in student achievement in a previously low-performing school.

BE PART OF THE EQUATION T3 Impact 15 T3 attracted large numbers of excellent teachers to work in low-performing schools, challenging the notion that great teachers do not want to teach in struggling schools. There were more than six applicants for each position available 100% of teachers offered T3 positions accepted. Over 50% of first two cohorts fills a high need area. T3 demonstrated that it is possible to change the teaching culture of a school. T3 is a proof point that teachers can provide viable solutions to tough education policy problems.

BE PART OF THE EQUATION T3 Impact 16 T3 schools outperformed every possible comparison group on student learning growth. All schools in MA All schools in BPS All turnaround schools statewide All BPS turnaround schools On elementary math, T3 Schools as a whole outperformed 89% of schools in MA At the middle school level, the one T3 School outperformed 96% of schools in ELA growth 98% of schools in math growth