TNTP Academy-Arizona prepares effective teachers for high-need schools. The innovative, hands-on certification training gives teachers the tools they need to raise student achievement – from day one.

Approach: Field-Based Teacher Preparation TNTP Academy-­Arizona is grounded in a simple premise: Effective teachers can and must close the

achievement gap. Teaching in high-­poverty school districts presents even the most talented new teacher with unique challenges. Yet few certification programs focus on preparing graduates to be immediately effective in this environment, or are tailored to the needs of career changers making the switch to teaching. In response, The New Teacher Project (TNTP) developed an intensive, practice-­based certification training that builds upon alternate route candidates’ existing content knowledge and life experiences. The rigorous program exposes participants to the realities of classroom teaching and places an explicit focus on high-­need schools and subjects. In 2011, TNTP in partnership with the Arizona Department of Education has launched this training through TNTP Academy-­Arizona.

Results: Effective Teachers TNTP’s innovative preparation has a strong track record of producing highly effective teachers. Consistently refined since 2001, TNTP’s curriculum – Teaching for Results™ – is currently in use in 8 states and DC. In Louisiana, ongoing, state-­sponsored research of TNTP’s certification training shows that program graduates consistently outperform both new and experienced teachers in raising student achievement in core subjects. In 2011, the study ranked The New Teacher Project against 16 other teacher preparation providers and awarded the highest possible rating for teacher effectiveness in math, science and English Language Arts. As a New York Times editorial put it, “High-­quality programs like…TNTP have a big role to play in the effort to improve teacher preparation nationally.”

Curriculum Spotlight: Teaching for Results At the heart of TNTP Academy-­Arizona is the unique Teaching for Results™ curriculum, a series of certification seminars that emphasize proven approaches to improving outcomes in schools where students often lag several grade levels behind. The seminars focus on three core areas of proficiency: content, assessment and instruction. CONTENT What students need to learn in a year Teaching for Results™ lays out the components, vocabulary and requirements of each content area/grade level so participants understand exactly what their students need to learn.

ASSESSMENT How to evaluate student knowledge and growth Participants learn to use diagnostic assessments and evaluate data as a critical window into student learning. Throughout the seminar, they measure student knowledge, set learning goals, track growth and ensure that those students who fall behind get the effective instruction they need to catch up.

INSTRUCTION How to teach with year-end goals in mind With assessment results in hand, participants select high-­impact instructional strategies for their content area that align with each student's performance and year-­end goals. Participants reflect on the effectiveness of their instructional strategies throughout the seminar, using actual student data from their classroom and working in collaboration with AZTF Fellows and TFA corps members.

How It Works: Rigorous Training for Challenging Classrooms TNTP Academy-­Arizona supports new teachers in delivering quality instruction in high-­need schools and subjects.

1. Selective recruitment partners. TNTP Academy-­Arizona program partners, including TNTP’s Arizona Teaching Fellows and Teach For America Phoenix, recruit and provide pre-­service training to alternate route teachers. At the end of this intensive training, participants start teaching full-­time and begin their licensure coursework through TNTP Academy-­Arizona. Throughout the year, partner programs conduct classroom observations, have ongoing communication with participants, and offer additional professional development opportunities.

2. Practical training and classroom practice. Once in the classroom, TNTP Academy-­Arizona participants attend bi-­weekly evening seminars led by Seminar Leaders, outstanding local teachers with a successful record of raising student achievement in their own Arizona classrooms. The Teaching for Results™ seminars emphasize the way master teachers teach specific content in high-­need schools, strategies that participants can apply immediately in their own classrooms.

3. Certification recommendation based on effectiveness. When determining to recommend participants for certification, TNTP Academy-­Arizona looks for evidence that participants have raised student achievement and have received a positive school leader evaluation. Participants also must have completed all program requirements including the Teaching for Results™ coursework and required state exams and teaching endorsements.

TNTP Academy-Arizona Fast Facts What are the key benefits of TNTP Academy as a teaching licensure program?  TNTP Academy-­Arizona is a rigorous, relevant pathway to certification accredited by the Arizona Department of Education and offering key benefits to participants, including:  

Competitive tuition cost—$6,500 approx. with available payment plans Less seat time—Earn teaching licensure in one-­year

Highly exclusive—Work as part of a small group with other AZTF Fellows and TFA corps members Immediately applicable—Evening seminars are conducted in-­person on a bi-­weekly basis so that knowledge can be

immediately put into practice the very next day in the teaching classroom

What are the enrollment requirements?  TNTP Academy Arizona is a private certification program exclusively for Arizona Teaching Fellows and Teach for America – Phoenix.

Participants must be teaching in one of the following subject area: math, science, and English (7-­12th grades) and special education (cross-­categorical) Participants must successfully complete AZTF Pre-­Service Training or TFA Institute during the summer

Participants must earn an Arizona Department of Education Teaching Intern Certificate Participants must provide official transcripts from all previous degree institutions Participants must take an ACCUPLACER basic math skills test by January 2014.

What requirements do I need to complete through TNTP Academy-Arizona in order to earn my Arizona Provisional Teaching Certification? When determining to recommend participants for certification, TNTP Academy-­Arizona requires the following:

Evidence from classroom observations and student surveys demonstrating participants are consistently employing effective teaching strategies correlated to raising student achievement

A positive evaluation from a participant’s principal or school leader Completion all program requirements including the Teaching for Results™ coursework Completion of all required state exams and teaching endorsements, including Professional Knowledge exam and

Structured English Immersion coursework

How do I get more information?  TNTP Academy-­Arizona will provide Virtual Information Sessions from December-­May. Applicants will receive email communication regarding dates, registration, and participation on these sessions. Summer 2013, Arizona Teaching Fellows staff will provide a thorough orientation to the program for all new Enrollees, which will include further details about TfR seminars, the Assessment of Classroom Effectiveness model (i.e. the requirements participants must meet in order to be recommended for their provisional certificate), and applying for your Arizona Provisional Teaching Certification. Please contact info@arizonateachingfellows.org for questions.