Arizona Teaching Fellows is a highly selective program that trains accomplished professionals and recent college graduates to become high-impact teachers in schools serving disadvantaged students in communities throughout Arizona. As a Fellow, you will begin making a difference for students right away, joining a network of dynamic Arizona teachers working to end a legacy of educational inequality.
Nearly 30% of Arizona high school students do not graduate from high school. Of those that do, less than half are eligible for admission to Arizona universities. Teachers, who have a greater impact on student learning than any other school factor, have the power to change their chances. But too often, our highest-need schools struggle to attract and retain teachers that are capable of helping students who have fallen behind catch up, particularly in critical-shortage subjects like math, science, language arts, elementary education, and special education. We are transforming this reality by recruiting and preparing teachers capable of improving student achievement to make a career in Arizona schools where they are most needed. Learn how you can be part of this change.
Who We Want
While there is no single profile of an ideal candidate, the program is highly competitive because every student deserves outstanding teachers. Fellows may be experienced professionals who are looking to make a career change, or they may be recent college graduates ready to put their academic expertise to work for Arizona’s children. Regardless of background, we seek candidates who believe that all students can succeed in school and who are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.
Learn what we look for in our Fellows.
How We Help You Make a Difference
If selected into the program, you will participate in an intensive summer Pre-Service Training that includes real-world teaching experience and practical strategies to help all students make academic progress. During your first year in the classroom, you will complete certification coursework. Throughout your training and certification, you will benefit from a rigorous, classroom-centered curriculum designed specifically to prepare teachers working with high-need students. To hear former Teaching Fellows talk about their work and experience closing the achievement gap, please watch the video on this page.
About Us
Arizona Teaching Fellows is a partnership between Arizona public school districts and TNTP, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the achievement gap by providing excellent teachers to the students who need them most and by advancing policies and practices that ensure effective teaching in every classroom. Founded by teachers in 1997, TNTP partners with school districts and states to implement scalable responses to their most acute teacher quality challenges. Since its inception, TNTP has trained or hired approximately 43,000 teachers, benefiting an estimated 7 million students nationwide. It has established more than 75 programs and initiatives in 31 states and published four seminal studies on urban teacher hiring and school staffing.