The single most important educational factor that determines student outcomes is quality teaching. Yet, as a nation we are not taking the measures necessary to ensure that every child has an excellent teacher, every year. In our cities, the children who most need excellent teachers often are assigned the least experienced and least effective teachers available.

Because of pipeline flaws in the hiring of teachers (insufficient preparation, flawed certification, unmerited promotion, etc.), schools must play the teacher lottery each time they hire a new teacher, hoping that a new teacher will be effective, without any guarantee. The Urban Teacher Center (UTC) believes the best way to gauge whether teachers will be effective is to assess whether they have been effective already. Learn more about how we guarantee an effective teacher every time.

UTC believes schools and districts need a guarantee: before teachers are certified, they can demonstrate their ability to improve student performance. Building on lessons learned from other innovative teacher preparation programs, UTC accelerates student achievement in the nation’s highest-need schools by recruiting outstanding teacher candidates, equipping them with state-of-the-art training, and linking certification to student performance results.

We hold a high bar for our new teachers and believe others should as well. In time, we expect to see UTC graduates among the most expert and results-oriented teachers in the nation.

Interested in joining a team of excellent teachers and making a difference in our country’s educational system? UTC is seeking individuals who have a demonstrated commitment to or interest in public service, a relentless desire to improve educational outcomes for urban youth, volunteer or work experience with children and youth, and outstanding communication and interpersonal skills.

Individuals with these qualities who also have a strong record of leadership and academic success should apply. Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0, although exceptions can be made down to a 2.75 GPA for outstanding candidates. You can find an FAQ page about the program and application as well as information on candidate eligibility. The application can be found here. Tulane students are encouraged to apply, as a Tulane alum works with UTC as a faculty member and coach, and a 2013 alum recently joined the teacher preparation program in DC.