A National Movement to Expand Educational Opportunity
This year, Teach For America marks its 35th anniversary – a milestone that celebrates a movement of leaders working alongside communities to expand opportunity for all children. Since its founding in 1990, Teach For America has recruited, developed, and supported a diverse network of educators and changemakers committed to ensuring that every child can learn, lead, and thrive. Today, more than 70,000 teachers, alumni, and tutors are driving impact across classrooms and communities nationwide, from teaching and school leadership to policy, innovation, and beyond. Teach For America continues to grow a force of leaders united by a shared belief in the boundless potential of every student – a belief deeply reflected in the work of the Nashville-Chattanooga region.
15+ Years of Transforming Classrooms and Communities in Nashville
With a footprint in the community that spans more than 15 years, Teach For America Nashville–Chattanooga has become a driving force in shaping the region’s education landscape. We see ourselves, fundamentally, as a strategic talent partner to the districts, committed to moving the needle for kids and schools. From the classroom to the statehouse, TFA-trained leaders are advancing opportunities for students – whether as teachers, principals, system leaders, or advocates – building a movement that continues to strengthen the future of education across the region. TFA Nashville Chattanooga has identified four key levers in its Theory of Change; including high quality teachers, tutors, school leaders and collaborative community impact.
Building a Local Network of Leaders
Since its founding in 2009, TFA Nashville-Chattanooga has brought 1,300 educators to Middle and Eastern Tennessee. Today, over 1,500 teachers (known as corps members), alumni, and tutors live and work locally, with 62% serving full-time in education, including 290 teachers and mid-level leaders in schools, 28 school principals, and 41 school system leaders. Beyond schools, alumni are making their mark in policy, advocacy, and organizing – 30 alumni currently lead initiatives affecting statewide education.
“Our alumni are not just educators; they are changemakers,” says Stephen Santellan, Executive Director of TFA Nashville-Chattanooga. “They are leading schools, shaping districts, and creating opportunities for students to thrive, demonstrating the profound impact of high-quality leadership in education.”
TFA Nashville-Chattanooga’s impact is evident across the region. Corps members are filling critical staffing gaps in high-need schools, particularly in hard-to-staff subject areas such as math, science, and literacy. They are helping students achieve milestones essential to long-term success: third-grade reading proficiency and eighth-grade math, to put students on a pathway to economic mobility.
Igniting Impact: The TFA Ignite Fellowship
Three years ago, TFA Nashville-Chattanooga launched the TFA Ignite Fellowship, a high touch tutoring program designed to provide immediate support to schools while building a pipeline to the teaching profession. Spanning 21 schools across Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, Ignite focuses on elementary reading and middle school math, giving students targeted, intensive support that accelerates learning.
In the 25/26 school year, Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville are supported by 500 tutors, with many serving as first-generation college students, people of color, or coming from low-income backgrounds. Together, these tutors contributed nearly 15,000 hours of additional learning in reading and math. Partner schools reported strong results: 94% of principals noted a positive impact on students’ academic growth and overall engagement, while 95% of participating students in Nashville said their tutor taught them in the way they learn best. In middle school math, students in 7th and 8th grade achieved 1.5 to 2.5 times their expected growth each semester on the iReady assessment.
“High-impact tutoring is one of the most effective ways to accelerate student learning,” says Santellan. “Through TFA Ignite, we are seeing students gain confidence, improve their skills, and unlock possibilities they may not have thought were within reach.”
TFA Ignite’s success has earned recognition at the state level. A champion of the program, Former Governor Bill Haslam sees the role TFA Ignite plays in addressing learning gaps and supporting Tennessee’s future workforce. Starting in 2023 and running through 2028, the Bill & Crissy Haslam Foundation have committed more than $3.5MM to scale Ignite in Tennessee.
Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders
Beyond the classroom, Teach For America Nashville–Chattanooga invests deeply in leadership development, recognizing that great schools are built by great leaders. Through its Aspiring School Leader Fellowship, the region equips educators with the tools, experience, and credentials necessary to lead schools effectively. Fellows gain hands-on administrative experience while earning their administrator credentials through Lipscomb University.
This year, TFA is supporting 18 future school leaders through the fellowship. In addition to providing direct financial assistance, the region offers quarterly networking and professional development sessions, leveraging its expertise in talent development to prepare these educators to step into high-impact leadership roles across Metro Nashville upon completion of their coursework.
“Leadership is about creating environments where both students and educators can thrive,” shares Santellan. “Through our fellowship, we’re nurturing leaders who are deeply rooted in their communities and committed to making lasting change in education.”
Alumni of TFA Nashville–Chattanooga continue to lead beyond the classroom, holding influential positions in education policy, school leadership, and community advocacy – further amplifying the region’s impact and shaping the future of education across Tennessee.
Community-Centered Collaboration
Collaboration lies at the core of Teach For America Nashville–Chattanooga’s strategy. By partnering with local schools, districts, and community organizations, the region ensures that initiatives meet real community needs and have a sustainable impact. From high-impact tutoring programs to rigorous curriculum aligned with the science of reading and math, every intervention is designed to increase student success while supporting teacher development and well-being.
“True change in education happens when communities come together,” says Stephen Santellan, Executive Director of Teach For America Nashville–Chattanooga. “Our partnerships are the cornerstone of our success, driving collective action toward a common goal.”
TFA Nashville–Chattanooga works closely with 22 partner organizations in the Nashville Child and Youth Collaborative, This group of nonprofits is working on behalf of children and youth in Nashville to elevate their needs in citywide policies and decision-making. This collaborative has already advocated for youth by hosting a youth led mayoral forum for candidates vying for the mayors seat in 2023, conducted a youth led Nashville Metro Council Day on the Hill in 2024, and has just conducted strategic planning to formalize it’s structure and identified the priorities such as Education, Economic Well Being, Health, and Community for 2025 and beyond.
Harnessing AI to Enhance Teaching and Learning
As conversations about artificial intelligence accelerate nationwide, TFA Nashville-Chattanooga is positioning itself as an AI innovation hub for education. Educators today are navigating a rapidly expanding landscape of AI tools. The region is working to responsibly integrate AI in ways that support educators, enhance student engagement, and ensure technology serves as a tool for empowerment –not replacement.
“AI can never replicate the human experience at the heart of great teaching,” says Santellan. “But it can be a powerful partner – helping teachers manage workload, personalize instruction, and bring learning to life in new ways. Used thoughtfully, AI gives educators more capacity to do what only humans can: connect, motivate, and spark a love of learning.”
By 2026, the region aims to integrate AI into productivity, teaching, and learning, positioning TFA Nashville-Chattanooga as a leader in educational innovation.
Locally, the Nashville–Chattanooga team is exploring several ways AI can drive impact. Early projects include using AI to analyze state education data to better understand outcomes in TFA partner schools, piloting AI tools that strengthen coaching and professional development for corps members, and expanding opportunities for students and educators to engage directly with emerging technologies.
As Teach For America Nashville–Chattanooga continues to build on its legacy of impact, this next chapter underscores the region’s deep commitment to innovation. By equipping teachers and students with tools to navigate and shape the AI era, the region is helping ensure classrooms remain places where technology amplifies human potential and learning stays deeply personal.
Looking Forward
Teach For America Nashville–Chattanooga is looking ahead to an ambitious vision for 2030: that twice as many children in the communities it serves will read proficiently by third grade and meet or exceed grade-level expectations in eighth grade math – key milestones that put them on a path toward economic mobility and a future filled with possibility. Already, the region is seeing meaningful momentum toward that goal. In partnership with schools and districts, students across Tennessee are making steady academic gains. In Metro Nashville Public Schools, proficiency rates have climbed by 12.8% in English Language Arts and 19% in Math since 2021, with third graders reading proficiently at rates nearly 11% higher than just a few years ago. In Hamilton County, eighth grade math proficiency has risen by more than 17%, and students are meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations in both ELA and Math at higher rates year over year.
These results reflect what’s possible when great teaching, leadership, and innovation come together in service of students.
“Our north star remains clear,” says Santellan. “We’re working toward a future where every child – no matter their ZIP code – has the education, mentorship, and opportunities they need to thrive. The progress we’re seeing today proves that when communities unite behind that vision, real change happens.”
With the collective efforts of educators, partners, and alumni, Teach For America Nashville–Chattanooga is not just preparing students for the future – it’s helping to build it.
