Change Starts in Washington, DC

Make a difference in the nation’s capital

Since its inception in 2010, City Teaching Alliance DC has grown to 763 educators serving over 159,000 students across 143 schools. City Teaching Alliance DC residents and fellows are deeply embedded in their school communities, and our growing alumni network is composed of superstar teachers, grade level leads, principals, school administrators, founding school leaders, and community leaders.

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Schools participating
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Participants and Alumni
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Students taught since 2010
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Students served in 2022-23 by participants

The Call To Teach

Every moment matters for our students in DC classrooms. Every community in DC should have equal access to a high quality, empowering, and affirming education. The reality is that systems in DC have not served all students equitably, particularly those furthest from opportunity, and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have only exacerbated the gap in opportunity.

DC students and families deserve educators that are exceptionally well-prepared, focused on culturally responsive teaching, and who relentlessly center not only student achievement, but student joy, belonging, and wellness. DC has a rich history of local families and community members coming together to fight for educational equity and disrupt systems of oppression. City Teaching Alliance DC needs you to bring your unwavering commitment to social justice, your love for students, and your desire to become an excellent eductor here to partner in this continued effort, honoring and building upon the work happening in our communities each day.

74 %
Black students in DC graduate high school (93% for white students)
55 %
Black students enroll in postsecondary programs (74% for white students)

The Opportunity in DC

DC is a hub for innovation and opportunity, where you will be leading for equity in the nation’s capital. You will be proximate to thought leaders, policy makers, think tanks, local and national government, major foundations, as well as a thriving public and public charter sector. Long term, you will have the opportunity to participate in innovative and unique school models, collaborate with thought leaders across sectors, and have a voice in local and national conversations around education and education policy. Immediately, you will join a network of hundreds of City Teaching Alliance residents and fellows working in over 140 schools, and a growing number of DC alumni who are teacher leaders, principals, founding school leaders, and community leaders.

In 2019, DC was named the nation’s fastest improving urban school district, and DC’s starting teacher salaries are among the highest in the nation. City Teaching Alliance DC provides more coaching from exceptional faculty, more coursework grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy and concrete instructional strategies, and more time to prepare in a classroom than any other teacher preparation program. You will be supported by dedicated, passionate, and talented site staff, faculty, and coaches as you learn to become the excellent educators DC’s brilliant students deserve.

Living In DC

For a city whose geographical bounds are approximately 8 miles by 8 miles, DC has so much to offer. There is the image of DC geared towards tourists and outsiders – the White House, the National Mall, the Capitol, the monuments – which are remarkable. But then there is the District, composed of unique neighborhoods within eight distinct wards, each with their own flavor, places to explore, delicious cuisine, beautiful greenspace, and unwavering pride exhibited by its residents. You will spend the week immersed in your school communities, concentrated primarily in Anacostia, Congress Heights, Deanwood, Benning Heights, Brightwood Park, and Petworth. On the weekends, you might get wings and mambo sauce at Good Hope Carryout, listen to GoGo music on U street, have brunch on the Southwest Waterfront, or go for a hike in Rock Creek Park – just a few of the many ways to experience the District.

DC is simultaneously a cosmopolitan, global city with the size, community, and hallmarks of a small town. Whether you are a DC native who already knows how special it is to live in DC, or someone considering making DC your home, you will be embedding within a vibrant community of incredible people.

Cost of living

The cost of living in DC is higher than the national average. The average rental price for a one bedroom apartment is around $2,000-$3,000/month.

Things to do

Washington, DC is composed of unique neighborhoods within eight distinct wards, each with their own flavor, places to explore, delicious cuisine, beautiful greenspace, and unwavering pride exhibited by its residents.

Transportation

Washington has a variety of public transit options that make it easy to get around.
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Of Cohort 2022 Residents identify as people of color
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Of Cohort 2022 Residents were first-generation college goers
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Of our first-year teachers returned to the classroom for a fifth year

“My biggest change in myself I’ve seen so far is the way in which I ask questions, leaning away from targeted, funneling questions and going towards more open-ended questions. I feel that [City Teaching Alliance] has exposed me to people who are also social-justice-inclined and beyond the program itself, my cohort and I are constantly engaging in these conversations and questioning our own biases as well as trying to come up with solutions to address social inequities. Through this, I feel like I’m becoming more prepared in serving our students and gaining a better mindset that is conducive to this work.”

Armand C.

Washington, DC Cohort 2021

Schools we partner with

Here are a some of the schools we partner with in Washington, DC where you will be able to teach in our program.

Learn More

Our Team in DC

Our faculty is dedicated to classroom teaching, mentorship, collaboration, and the success of our participants. They inspire, challenge, and lead through innovative approaches to teaching, learning, and research. Our faculty members bring a wealth of experience from the field and are the driving force behind our theory of change.

Joseph Salazar
Adjunct Faculty
Shasha Lowe-Anderson
Adjunct Faculty
Deepa Srikantaiah
Adjunct Faculty
Labonnie Smith
Adjunct Faculty
Diane Sims
Instructional Coach
Renee Roth
Instructional Coach
Michelle Milberger
Instructional Coach
Tracie Meerholz
Instructional Coach
Joseph Salazar
Adjunct Faculty
Shasha Lowe-Anderson
Adjunct Faculty
Deepa Srikantaiah
Adjunct Faculty
Labonnie Smith
Adjunct Faculty
Diane Sims
Instructional Coach
Renee Roth
Instructional Coach
Michelle Milberger
Instructional Coach
Tracie Meerholz
Instructional Coach

Join the Alliance

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