TEACH AMERICA incorporates a sustainable staff development model to build content knowledge in American history, systemic support processes, and teacher-leaders. This collaboration, developed by the Caldwell County Schools in partnership with the National Humanities Center and SAS Institute, Inc., will serve 28 secondary school teachers. In addition, during the grant's third year, a cadre of participants from Years 1 and 2 will train 24 fifth and eight grade teachers. A sustainability team will also be established during the third year. To increase their knowledge of U.S. history and develop instructional tools that improve student achievement, participants engage in seminars, training sessions, and development of integrated web-based instructional plans and American history time-period "toolboxes." Consecutive summer institutes address 20th century turning points in the U.S., analyzing primary freedom and democracy documents in U.S. history, and "What-Ifs"—how America would be different minus certain individuals and events. Content areas include the New Nation, Crisis, Civil War, and Reconstruction, U.S. Emergence in World Affairs, The Great War and Its Aftermath, World War II and the Beginning of the Cold War, and the United States Since the Vietnam War.

This partnership for professional development in U.S. history brings together 15 school districts with North Carolina Central University, Winston- Salem State University, the state African American Education Consortium, museums, and numerous historical societies and organizations. Teachers in Grades 3, 5, and 9 and high school Advanced Placement teachers of the most impoverished and low-performing schools are targeted to participate in a three-week summer institute, ten core content seminars annually, interactive distance learning seminars, study groups, and historic site visits designed to increase their knowledge of traditional American history and pedagogical skills. From this group, a cadre of master teachers will be established at each school to provide training and mentoring for other teachers. Biographies spanning the eras from the Age of Exploration to the present will be emphasized as teachers work in vertical and horizontal planning teams. The theme for Year 1 is Government and will cover topics such as the Amendments to the Constitution and major legal cases. The theme for Year 2 is Peace and Conflict and will include discussion of the Revolutionary War and World War II. The theme for Year 3 is Expansion and will cover Manifest Destiny and the Louisiana Purchase, among other topics.