Category Archives: Teach For America

Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates of all academic majors who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools and become leaders in the effort to expand educational opportunity.

CEO Ya!

Posted on September 19, 2015 by garyrubinstein

Teach For America co-CEO Matt Kramer has announced that he is ‘stepping down.’ His partner in crime, Elisa Villanueva-Beard, will be promoted to sole CEO. I expected some kind of top-level shakeup and predicted six months ago that one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Teach For America | 11 Comments

What’s Next at TFA? So maybe we’ll Back Down a smidgen

Posted on June 16, 2015 by garyrubinstein

Teach For America recently broadcast their second annual ‘What’s Next at TFA?‘ event. One answer to the title question could simply be “Who cares?” In the scheme of things, what’s really the difference whether TFA changes its strategies and its … Continue reading →

Posted in Teach For America, Uncategorized | Tagged evb | 8 Comments

Open Letter to Reformers I DON’T Know. Part III: Amorphous TFA Blob

Posted on March 2, 2015 by garyrubinstein

I joined TFA in 1991, twenty-four years ago. How, then could this letter be part of the reformers I DON’T know, rather than to the reformers I know series? Well, though I do know certain people who are in leadership … Continue reading →

Posted in Open Letters Series, Teach For America, Uncategorized | 23 Comments

Bait-and-Switch For America

Posted on November 5, 2014 by garyrubinstein

It’s that time of year again when the first crop of new TFA recruits receive their acceptance letters. Over the past year, TFA has taken quite a deserved beating in social media. Its been so bad that they have created … Continue reading →

Posted in Teach For America, tfa rants | 7 Comments

Advice to the 2014 TFA Corps Members

Posted on June 12, 2014 by garyrubinstein

Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m Gary Rubinstein, TFA Houston 1991. Yes, that’s a long time ago. You likely were born in 1992 so I was doing TFA before you were born. That doesn’t mean that I’m necessarily smarter … Continue reading →

Posted in Teach For America, tfa rants | 33 Comments

Keeping Important Pinky Promises?

Posted on March 16, 2014 by garyrubinstein

On the subway yesterday, I saw this advertisement for KIPP: The claim is that “Our K-12 public schools promise to see each child to and through college.” One problem with this claim is that even in the most generous study … Continue reading →

Posted in Teach For America | 4 Comments

‘What’s Next? at TFA’ webcast. Spoiler alert: More of the same

Posted on March 5, 2014 by garyrubinstein

TFA has been recently taking a beating in social media. Whether in response to this, or if it is just something that’s been planned for a while, the two co-CEOs Elisa Villanueva-Beard and Matt Kramer were part of a live … Continue reading →

Posted in Teach For America, tfa rants | Tagged evb | 22 Comments

TFA answers my FOIA-like request

Posted on February 28, 2014 by garyrubinstein

Though education ‘reformers’ always speak of the need for transparency, Teach For America is one of the least transparent organizations out there. Though they get a lot of public money, I don’t think that there is a way to FOIA … Continue reading →

Posted in Teach For America | 6 Comments

Guest Post Series. Part One: How Interning for TFA Convinced me of its Injustice

Posted on February 22, 2014 by garyrubinstein

Recently, several people have contacted me with interesting stories they wanted to share with the people who read this blog. In the coming weeks there will be more guest posts like this one from Bryn Mawr College senior Emma Gulley. … Continue reading →

Posted in Teach For America | 45 Comments

The Suggestions of the New NY Education Reform Commission

Posted on January 23, 2014 by garyrubinstein

In April, 2012, The New NY Education Reform Commission was created by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The members of the committee are a diverse group ranging from high profile ‘reformers’ like Waiting For Superman hero Geoffrey Canada to low profile ‘reformers’ … Continue reading →