K-12 Education
In its second year, nonprofit initiative Teach 313 is recruiting, retaining and celebrating Detroit teachers
Funded by The Skillman Foundation and Detroit Children’s Fund, Teach 313 is hosting local hiring fairs and free teacher events this fall
DETROIT, Mich., Nov. 7, 2019 – Teach 313, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to recruiting and retaining teachers in Detroit, is impacting the future of education in the city by addressing teacher vacancies throughout local schools. The organization is implementing a unique model for education initiatives that involve celebrating educators and promoting teacher quality of life in addition to attracting qualified teaching candidates to Detroit.
Launched in August 2018, the initiative was led by Strategic Community Partners and funded by The Skillman Foundation and Detroit Children’s Fund. In its first year, the 2018-2019 school year, Teach 313 surpassed its recruitment goal by 24%, placing 62 candidates in teaching positions across Detroit.
“For our city to be great, we need great educators,” said Tonya Allen, president and CEO of The Skillman Foundation, “Through Teach 313’s model we are striving to make Detroit the best city in the U.S. to teach. We’re putting teachers first and investing in the people who invest in our children.”
Teach 313 is the only education initiative nationwide that recruits teachers year-round and the only one that actively improves quality of life for teachers. It does so through its mobile app with discounts and incentives from local business partners, ranging from restaurants to housing to auto companies and more in order to promote a healthy, quality life for teachers.
“Teach 313 isn’t your average education initiative: Designed by teachers, education leaders, and community, we’re the only initiative of its kind in the country. As a result of our unique relationships with local businesses, we are able to provide discounts and incentives for teachers through our website and mobile app. These opportunities allow teachers in our city to feel appreciated and succeed as the greatest leaders for our students,” said Chanel Hampton, founder and CEO of Strategic Community Partners and founding partner of Teach 313, “Our long-term vision is for the nation is to see Detroit set an example of how to do right by teachers. That means making this a place where educators can have a great life in and out of the classroom.”
For Teach 313, a major focus this school year is recruiting diverse, qualified candidates. In order to achieve this Teach 313 travels to historically Black colleges and universities and Hispanic-Serving Institutions around the country, and hosts national hiring events, in addition to local efforts.
This fall Teach 313 invites college graduates, teaching candidates, and current teachers to take advantage of two immediate opportunities:
Hiring Fair: Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- Who this fair is for: College students, out-of-state candidates, candidates of color
- Details: Hosted at Durfee Innovation Society in Detroit, this fair aims to connect college students, especially December graduates, with job opportunities within Detroit school districts. With a focus on attracting out-of-state college graduates of color, the event recruits from both in-state and out-of-state. Candidates interested in Detroit teaching jobs can sign up for the fair here.
Ticket giveaway for Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo
Teach 313 invites Detroit educators and their families to reserve free tickets for Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo. Any Detroit educator can reserve tickets using this link until Monday, Nov. 11. Up to 150 tickets will be given away and all tickets will be valid from Nov. 16 to Jan. 5, 2020.
“Giving opportunity to teachers, in every way we can, is what this is all about,” continued Hampton. “Our fellows, the candidates applying for positions, and the teachers who have dedicated themselves to creating Detroit’s future, deserve the best support we can offer.”
To learn more about Teach 313 and its mission, visit www.teach313.org.
About Teach 313
Teach 313 is an initiative launched in 2018 to recruit, retain and uplift teachers in Detroit. Now a 501(c)(3), the organization attracts qualified candidates to the city through hiring efforts and helps keep teachers by providing professional development opportunities and teaching discounts. In a further effort to support Detroit teachers, Teach 313 also hosts a yearly cohort of fellows who receive professional development opportunities and contribute ideas and concepts that help fuel Teach 313’s mission. To learn more, visit Teach313.org.
