BetterLesson Works With Teach For America to Upskill New Teachers and Improve Student Outcomes

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Nov 29, 2023, 09:00 ET

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BetterLesson, a leading provider of high-quality virtual and in-person K–12 professional learning, proudly announces an expanded partnership with Teach For America (TFA). In the 2023-2024 school year, BetterLesson is extending support to 3,500 TFA educators, known as corps members, delivering high-quality coaching and research-based instructional resources to teachers in the TFA program nationwide.

Research from the Learning Policy Institute underscores the importance of comprehensive professional support for teachers, revealing that educators who enter the profession with high-quality support are more than twice as likely to remain in the field. BetterLesson and TFA's partnership unlocks job-embedded support to early-career teachers in a way that is accessible and available to educators on their schedules. The partnership will provide TFA corps members with scalable, instructional support that aligns with TFA's values and strategy to advance Teach For America's mission of improving student outcomes and driving progress on key talent metrics for its teachers.

Dr. Nathalie Henderson, Executive Vice President of Corps Member and Alumni Leadership Development at Teach For America, emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, "Consistent measurable impact with students is more likely when our corps members are engaged in learning spaces that provide support for the challenges many new teachers face. Our hope is that this partnership will equip our new teachers with concrete skills and knowledge that will help them be successful with students right away."

BetterLesson's coaching sessions and resources are designed to be intentional and responsive to the individual needs of TFA's teachers. Sessions will focus on upskilling new teachers entering the classroom, guiding educators in effective and scalable differentiation for student instruction, and accelerating growth of student learning to achieve grade-level learning outcomes. Additionally, participants will receive instructional strategies and support for teaching students with disabilities, English language learners, as well as support for student-centered math and literacy instruction. All resources and services provided will be managed by local TFA leaders, who will deploy coaching in a flexible, personalized, and dynamic way.

"This initiative is a natural progression of our longstanding partnership with TFA as mission- and values-aligned organizations," shares Matthew Kennard, CEO of BetterLesson. "BetterLesson's connected professional learning solutions, paired with TFA's local talent and service throughout the country, will have a transformational impact upon teaching strategies and learning experiences for the most high-need student populations, while honoring new teachers in their profession."

BetterLesson and Teach For America are united in their commitment to equip educators with the tools and knowledge necessary to create a meaningful and lasting impact on student achievement. Through this expanded partnership, both organizations are poised to make significant strides in the realm of education, fostering a community of empowered teachers and inspired learners.

To learn more about the enhanced partnership, visit https://info.betterlesson.com/teach-for-america.

About BetterLesson
BetterLesson provides 1:1 virtual coaching and small-group professional learning to help educators create classrooms where students drive their own learning, exercise choice and ownership, and develop the personal agency they need to succeed. They provide job-embedded educator support across a wide range of topics including curriculum adoption and implementation, instructional leadership, inclusive and responsive practices, and flexible instructional models. BetterLesson has partnered with more than 57,000 educators across 47 states as well as D.C., Puerto Rico, and 12 countries internationally. The company hosts a growing library of evidence-based strategies reaching 500,000 educators monthly. BetterLesson values the pursuit of educational equity and is dedicated to ensuring every student—regardless of race, income, national origin, gender identity, ability or location—has access to an excellent education. Learn more at http://www.betterlesson.com.

About Teach For America
Teach For America works in partnership with 350 urban and rural communities across the country to expand educational opportunities for children. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding leaders who make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to end educational inequity. Today, Teach For America is a force of 70,000 alumni and corps members, and Ignite fellows working in more than 9,000 schools nationwide in pursuit of profound systemic change. From classrooms to districts to state houses across America, they are reimagining education to realize the day when every child has an equal opportunity to learn, lead, thrive, and co-create a future filled with possibility. Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE BetterLesson