What is teachNOLA?
teachNOLA Overview
Public Education in New Orleans
The Recovery School District
New Schools for New Orleans
Teaching in a New Orleans Public School
Who We Want
Living in New Orleans
In the Press
Why Join?
Address Inequalities in Education
Securing a Position
Teacher Resources
Teacher Salary and Benefits
Profiles of Current teachNOLA Teachers
Teacher Talk
How Do I Apply?
Program Eligibility
Louisiana Teacher Certification
Application Process
Application Deadlines
Information Sessions
Interview Events
Apply Now
Frequently Asked Questions
TEACHING IN A NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC SCHOOL
What is the RSD?
What part of New Orleans will I be teaching in?
How are public schools in New Orleans structured?
How safe are the schools?
Why should I become part of teachNOLA?
QUALIFICATIONS
How do I know if I am eligible for teachNOLA?
What type of certification do I need?
Are individuals who have worked as substitute teachers eligible for the program?
What should I do to teach in New Orleans if I don’t have a standard teaching certificate?
I’m currently enrolled in an education program to become certified. Am I still eligible?
APPLICATION PROCESS
How do I apply to join teachNOLA?
How long should my Application Questions be?
What should I include in my resume?
Can I include letters of recommendation with my application?
Do I need to send transcripts with my application?
What happens after I submit my application?
What happens during an Interview Event?
When and where do interviews take place?
ADMISSION & ENROLLMENT
I wasn't accepted. Can I appeal the decision on my application?
Can I defer acceptance into the program?
Can I reapply to the program next year if I am not accepted?
When does the program actually begin?
YOUR TEACHING POSITION
Where will I be teaching?
How does the process of securing a school work?
Can I choose where I will teach?
When do I find out where I will be teaching?
COMPENSATION / BENEFITS
What is the starting salary for teachNOLA teachers?
TEACHING IN A NEW ORLEANS CHARTER SCHOOL
1. What is a charter school?
Charter schools are independently-run public schools that operate according to the terms of a contract, or charter, between a private group and a school district or state. In exchange for greater freedom over items such as the academic program, management structure, and length of the school day and year, charters are held accountable for concrete performance targets. For more information about charter schools, visit our page entitled Teaching in a New Orleans public school.
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2. What is the RSD?
The Recovery School District (RSD) is a state-run entity that takes over underperforming schools. The Louisiana Department of Education manages the RSD under the authority of the Louisiana Board of Elementary & Secondary Education (BESE). With 31 traditional schools and 27 charter schools, the Recovery School District (RSD) works with the largest number of New Orleans’ education providers.
RSD schools have no admissions criteria, enabling students from any neighborhood in the city to attend. As more students return to the city and other schools reach capacity, the RSD will absorb the swelling student population. The district is committed to accommodating these returnees, especially those with special needs.
The RSD, which exists to transform underperforming schools into successful ones under the state accountability system, aims to lay the groundwork for a world-class education system in New Orleans. Student achievement, quality leadership, and parent and community collaboration guide the RSD’s approach. For more about the RSD and its priorities and principles, visit its homepage by clicking here.
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3. What part of New Orleans will I be teaching in?
teachNOLA teachers will be placed in the RSD and in charter schools across New Orleans. While the program staff considers a candidate’s geographic/school preference when possible, the needs of the school and the candidate’s subject area eligibility are given priority during the placement process. Ultimately, we want to place teachers where they are needed most within the city, regardless of neighborhood.
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4. How are public schools in New Orleans structured?
Following Hurricane Katrina, the city’s school district was reconfigured as a significantly less centralized network of traditional and charter public schools. These schools are currently governed either by the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) or the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Educators from across the country are looking to New Orleans as a potential model for urban education reform. To learn more about this exciting transformation of public education in New Orleans, click here.
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5. How safe are the schools?
We believe our schools are safe. We encourage concerned candidates to visit the areas in which they may teach during a regular school day to determine their own level of comfort with the environment. As is true in any city, community members should take basic safety precautions and use common sense to avoid situations such as walking alone after dark or in unfamiliar areas.
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6. Why should I become part of teachNOLA?
Your knowledge and experience can help ensure that every child in New Orleans has access to a high-quality education. As a teacher, you are the single most important factor in raising student achievement. As a teachNOLA teacher, you will be part of a network of committed professionals dedicated to improving public schools. You will also join one of the nation’s most ambitious efforts to date to reform urban education. We are calling on our most successful and driven teachers to join our movement to dramatically improve student outcomes and to build a new, and better, New Orleans. Become part of this pivotal moment in our city and nation’s history.
QUALIFICATIONS
1. How do I know if I am eligible for teachNOLA?
Applicants to the program should review the requirements laid out in the Program Eligibility section of this website.
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2. What type of certification do I need?
Eligible candidates must possess standard teacher certification. All Louisiana fully-certified candidates must provide proof of eligible Louisiana certification. All candidates with certification from another state or non-standard Louisiana certification must provide proof of eligibility to become fully certified in Louisiana. For more information about what it takes to earn and demonstrate Louisiana certification, please visit our section on Louisiana Teacher Certification.
Please note: In addition to being certified, all teachNOLA teachers must also be on track to be highly qualified to meet the federal No Child Left Behind legislation. To be considered highly qualified, teachers must be certified in the area(s) in which they are teaching – as well as able to demonstrate content mastery of those area(s). For more detailed information and answers to commonly asked questions about the ‘highly qualified’ requirement, please visit the Louisiana Department of Education website.
3. Are individuals who have worked as substitute teachers eligible for the program?
If you have worked as a substitute teacher and you hold either a valid standard Louisiana teaching certificate, a standard certificate from another state, or will complete an approved education program by June 2008, you are eligible.
For more information about what it takes to earn and demonstrate Louisiana certification, please visit our section on Louisiana Teacher Certification.
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4. What should I do to teach in New Orleans if I don't have a standard teaching certificate?
Please visit our Alternate Route to Certification program site by clicking here, or click "I want to become a certified teacher" from our homepage, www.teachnola.org.
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I’m currently enrolled in an education program to become certified. Am I still eligible?
Individuals who are in an education program and will receive full certification in any state by June 2008 are eligible for the certified teacher cohort. Candidates who will have additional coursework to complete after June 2008 are encouraged to apply to teachNOLA next year, for the 2009-2010 school year.
APPLICATION PROCESS
1. How do I apply to join teachNOLA?
An application consists of a complete online application form, a resume, and three Application Questions. Visit the Application Process section of the website for details. Click here to apply now.
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2. How long should my Application Questions be?
Your responses to the Application Questions should be 200-400 words each. The Application Questions provide us with information not captured elsewhere in the application. We use these responses to evaluate a candidate’s writing and critical thinking skills and, more importantly, to gain a sense of commitment to teaching students in New Orleans charter schools. Note: Please do not substitute a 'Philosophy of Education' or a personal statement for your Application Questions, as we are asking you to respond to specific prompts to gauge your commitment to teaching in a high-need school in New Orleans. For more information about the Application Questions, visit our page on the Application Process.
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3. What should I include in my resume?
Your resume should provide details about your education and professional experience, highlighting those jobs, activities, and awards that display your excellence and reflect achievements and concrete results.
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4. Can I include letters of recommendation with my application?
No. Because of the sheer number of applications we receive, we are unable to consider documents or materials other than those required for a complete application (application form, resume, and application questions). Materials that are not required will be discarded. However, we do ask for references on the application, which we may contact to receive further insight on our applicants.
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5. Do I need to send transcripts with my application?
Although transcripts are not required with the initial teachNOLA application, you must submit one (1) official (sealed) transcript from every college and/or university attended – including community colleges – at the Interview Event. You will only be considered fully enrolled in the program upon receipt of one (1) official transcript from all institutions attended. Because it often takes universities several weeks to process requests for official transcripts, we highly recommend you request official transcripts now. Please note that transcripts submitted to the program are not returnable.
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6. What happens after I submit my application?
All applications are reviewed for completeness and eligibility. Those applicants who demonstrate potential for success as teachNOLA teachers are invited to interview. (You will also be notified if you are not invited to interview.) You should receive interview notification within two (2) weeks of our receipt of your complete and submitted application.
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7. What happens during an Interview Event?
Candidates will be placed in groups of up to twelve, along with one to two teachNOLA interviewers. An Interview Event consists of both a group session and an individual interview. Each candidate will be asked to participate in a group discussion, write about a specific educational scenario, present a sample teaching lesson, and engage in a one-on-one interview with a program interviewer. More information about the Interview Event will be provided to invited candidates in advance.
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8. When and where do interviews take place?
All interviews are conducted in person in New Orleans. Most Interview Events are held on weekends, and candidates should plan to sign up for one of the scheduled Interview Events posted on this website. teachNOLA does not hold interviews outside of New Orleans and, due to the volume of applicants, cannot assist with transportation costs associated with interviews.
ADMISSION AND ENROLLMENT
1. I wasn't accepted. Can I appeal the decision on my application?
No. All applications are thoroughly reviewed during our rigorous application process, and admissions decisions are final. Because teachNOLA receives an exceptional number of applications each year, we are unable to re-evaluate individual applications or provide personalized feedback to applicants who have not been accepted into the program.
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2. Can I defer acceptance into the program?
Candidates may not defer acceptance into the 2008 program; however, they may reapply the following year, to begin teaching in the fall of 2009.
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3. Can I reapply to the program next year if I am not accepted?
Yes, but in order to be considered, you must be able to demonstrate improvements in your candidacy since your previous application. The process for applicants who are re-applying is no different than that for applicants applying for the first time. Because school needs change from year to year, even those applicants who were admitted to the program in a previous year and declined our offer of admission or withdrew from the program must reapply to begin teaching the following year.
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4. When does the program actually begin?
All program participants hired by a school will likely start teaching in New Orleans in the summer of 2008. Last year the start dates for schools ranged from early August to early September.
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YOUR TEACHING POSITION
1. Where will I be teaching?
teachNOLA teachers will teach in the Recovery School District or charter schools in New Orleans. While the program staff considers a candidate’s geographic/school preference when possible, the needs of the school and the candidate’s subject area eligibility are given priority during the placement process. Ultimately, we want to place teachers where they are needed most within the city. Students in these high-need schools will greatly benefit from the effective instruction of highly qualified teachNOLA teachers. Most schools in which teachNOLA teachers work face challenges such as a lack of resources and students who are often working behind grade level.
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2. How does the process of securing a school work?
teachNOLA staff will help facilitate opportunities to interview with principals for school-level jobs. In some cases teachNOLA teachers will generate their own leads as well. Throughout the placement process, the program strives to ensure effective matches are made between a candidate and a school. teachNOLA’s goal is to staff schools in high-need areas, and all candidates should be prepared to teach wherever they are most needed and can have the greatest impact on student achievement. Although candidates will have the opportunity to express their geographic/school preferences, school matches are driven primarily by school needs and by each candidate's eligibility. teachNOLA teachers must be extremely flexible about their teaching positions. Visit our page on Securing a Position to learn more.
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3. Can I choose where I will teach?
teachNOLA facilitates opportunities for teachers to meet with various school leaders, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the candidate to present him/herself as a compelling prospect and the decision of the school to hire a teachNOLA teacher to teach at that particular school. For more information about where teachNOLA teachers will teach, click here.
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4. When will I find out where I will be teaching?
The placement process takes place throughout the spring and summer and, if necessary, through the beginning of the school year. There are many variables involved in identifying and finalizing specific teaching assignments, so the process can be quite time consuming. You will receive more information about this process if you are accepted into the program.
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COMPENSATION / BENEFITS
1. What is the starting salary for teachNOLA teachers?
Please see our Teacher Salary and Benefits page.
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