Morgan Will Continue Fight for Teach For America Teachers Despite Board Skepticism

Today, South Cobb school board member David Morgan plans to address his next steps for bringing 50 Teach for America teachers to Cobb County schools, specifically South Cobb area schools. He is holding his at

On Wednesday, at the school board’s regular work session, members of the board were skeptical of ’s proposal to hire 50 Teach for America teachers at an additional fee of $4,000 per teacher per year for two years, especially as the district looks at cutting 350 teaching positions to decrease its $62.4 million deficit.

Although the TFA teachers’ salaries would be comparable to others in the district with similar education and experience levels, the additional $4,000 goes to intensive training that the teachers receive for the TFA program throughout their year of teaching.

The district currently has three TFA teachers, two at and another at Osborne High in Marietta.

Hinojosa said at a that he “is a huge fan of Teach For America. They went to our toughest schools and they did a great job. It’s harder to get in Teach For America than it is to get into Harvard… They changed the culture.”

On Wednesday, Hinojosa could not tell board members details, but said influential and prominent community members are working to raise or donate funds to pay the $400,000 fee needed to bring in the teachers for the two-year period.

Morgan also told South Cobb Patch that he does not have permission to release the individuals’ names.

David Connell, CEO of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, is working with individuals to raise funding for the TFA teachers.

Connell told the Marietta Daily Journal, “We talked about a lot of people who don’t belong to the Chamber who may be able to help. It’s not a Chamber issue, it’s a business issue. He’s talked to a lot of people, well-connected in county like myself, people with a sense of community and who appreciate the schools. Some of them are coming from downtown Atlanta.”

Morgan did explain that the individuals who expressed interest in funding the 50 teachers for South Cobb schools would not do so if they did not have the support of the board.

Board members admitted that South Cobb-area schools need additional support, but felt there were other solutions besides Teach for America.

Four South Cobb schools–, , and Powder Springs Elementary– are currently receiving additional help from

“I don’t know if it’s the panacea for us,” said northwest Cobb board of education member Lynnda Crowder-Eagle.

Board members, central Cobb board member Alison Bartlett and northeast Cobb board member Kathleen Angelucci, agreed. Angelucci said she was concerned that approving 50 TFA teachers could send a message to current CCSD teachers that “they are not good enough.”

Angelucci also noted that nearly half of the teachers in the TFA program leave after completing a two-year commitment, which means that more than half elected to stay in the program or to continue in the teaching profession.

“I’d rather have someone who’s going to work for two years than someone who is going to sleep for two years,” Hinojosa said in December about TFA.

David Banks, who also serves northeast Cobb, said Teach for America should be used as a pilot program. Tim Stultz, who serves Mableton and Smyrna schools, said the program should “it’s something we should explore” if the costs come from the community or private sector and not from district funds.

Board Chairman Scott Sweeney did not express an opinion on the issue.

However, members of local teaching associations said in a report from the MDJ, the TFA training would not be the equivalent of a teacher with one or more education degrees and teaching experience. Additionally, they did not agree with hiring 50 TFA teachers if the district plans to cut 350 teaching positions to help decrease its deficit.

which is a discussion issue on the agenda for the Jan. 26 school board meeting.