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Teach for America Ranks UCSB 20th
updated: Sep 10, 2012, 11:32 AM

Source: UCSB

In the annual ranking of colleges and universities contributing the greatest number of graduates to its teaching corps, Teach for America ranked UC Santa Barbara at number 20. Thirty-five UCSB graduates have been selected this year to work as beginning teachers in public schools in low-income communities across the country. Teach for America corps members are top college graduates and professionals who commit to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools, and become lifelong leaders in the pursuit of educational opportunities for all students. Teach for America recruits on more than 600 college campuses, seeking seniors and graduates from all academic majors and backgrounds, who have demonstrated achievement, perseverance, and leadership.

This year marks the first time more than 10,000 first- and second-year corps members will be teaching in high-need classrooms, representing a 10 percent increase over last year's total corps size. The 5,800 first-year corps members earned an average grade point average of 3.54, and represent more than 1,500 colleges and universities across the nation. They will lead high-need classrooms in 46 regions that span 36 states and the District of Columbia.

"This ranking illustrates the strong public service spirit among UCSB undergraduates, as well as their exceptional preparation across the disciplines," said Jane Close Conoley, professor of education and dean of UCSB's Gevirtz Graduate School of Education. "Our undergrads have both a passion to make a difference in the world, and the benefit of a University of California education in their majors. Both of these make our students most attractive to Teach for America."

"We are grateful to the outstanding colleges and universities that cultivate graduates with leadership skills and determination to address one of our nation's greatest injustices -- the disparity in educational opportunity between children in low-income communities and their wealthier peers," said Wendy Kopp, chief executive officer and founder of Teach for America. "These corps members bring a diversity of experiences and accomplishments to the classroom, and they all share a powerful commitment to work toward solving this problem."

More information about Teach for America is available at http://www.teachforamerica.org

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 318374	2012-09-10 02:28 PM
I wonder if this is a good thing, in that UCSB grads are more driven to give back to their community, or less of a good thing, in that UCSB grads enroll in the Teach for America program because they can discharge their high debt levels or have a harder time finding other work when they graduate?
COMMENT 318395P	2012-09-10 03:43 PM
If people graduate and they go on to teach others, who really cares. It is a net plus. Why look for the negatives?
COMMENT 318402	2012-09-10 04:01 PM
This is something to be proud of!
COMMENT 318403	2012-09-10 04:04 PM
Do we really need to bash UCSB on this one? OMG these efforts should only be applauded - I agree, it is a plus for all. The job market is bleak for ALL college grads - not just Gauchos. And, if you haven't noticed, even with the recent tuition increases, a UC education is still half the price of most private colleges and is really not that much more than the Cal States.
COMMENT 318592	2012-09-11 11:10 AM
I'm both a UCSB and TFA alumnus (and recruited for TFA on campus as a senior at UCSB). While Teach For America is not a perfect organization, it is leading the charge in much-needed education reform, and is getting better at both selecting dedicated individuals and training its teachers. For people who are interested in applying to Teach For America or learning more about the program, there's a new blog and soon-to-be-released book (Google "Destination Teach For America") that will help you learn how to create an exceptional application and ace the interviews. This is a great source for anyone looking to learn about the process. Go Gauchos!

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