Teach For America (TFA) will receive $1 million to expand the pool of talented and committed individuals trained to become highly qualified teachers for students in our nation's poorest schools.

Mrs. Laura Bush made the announcement today while visiting Greenville High School in Greenville, Miss.

"I can't think of a better cause than bringing more excellent teachers into America's schools," said Mrs. Bush. "Children need our love and support; and they especially need devoted teachers and strong role models, like those who come to our classrooms through programs like Teach For America."

"Teach For America has shown us that there is no shortage of outstanding college graduates who are eager to teach and pass on their love of learning to students in low-income communities who are often left behind," said U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige. "This grant will give Teach For America additional resources to accommodate many more recent graduates, which means, in turn, that many more youngsters in our nation's schools will have the opportunity to benefit from the top-notch training and dedication to excellence provided by Teach For America."

TFA is a national corps of outstanding recent college graduates of all academic majors who commit to teach for two years in urban or rural low-income communities. Corps members undergo a rigorous training process that emphasizes particular skills and characteristics teachers need to succeed in high-need schools. Established 12 years ago, TFA has trained more than 8,000 corps members who have taught more than a million students in schools across the country.

This school year, TFA will place more than 1,700 new teachers in high-need schools across the country. The grant from the department will support a regional orientation program so that the new recruits are prepared for teaching and living in their new communities. The grant will also provide for regional directors who will serve as mentors for corps members, observing them in the classroom and providing teachers with feedback. In addition, the regional directors will coordinate professional development activities.

The overall goal of the project is to significantly increase the number of highly qualified teachers with the skills, talent and attributes that translate into substantial academic achievement gains for the young people they teach.

The grant is from the Fund for the Improvement of Education (FIE), under the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. FIE supports activities that stimulate reform and improve teaching and learning.

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