FAQs

Schools

  • Where are 天美影视 DC鈥檚 schools located?

    天美影视 DC has 20 schools across Wards 5, 6, 7, and 8. Visit our Schools page to find the best fit for your child.

  • Are 天美影视 teachers credentialed? How are they trained?

    Your child鈥檚 teacher may come from one of many different backgrounds. Some 天美影视 teachers have worked with educationally underserved students for their whole careers, some teachers are at the beginning of their career in the classroom, and some career changers are entering the classroom after devoting time to another profession.

    No matter where these educators began, they all have received a bachelor鈥檚 degree and joined 天美影视 DC to provide the highest quality education to your child. Because we believe that there鈥檚 always room to grow, your child鈥檚 teacher also receives individualized coaching, instructional toolkits, and resources to share and collaborate with colleagues across the 天美影视 network.

  • What does "more time in school" or "extended school day" really mean?

    To maximize your child鈥檚 growth and provide more time for academics and extracurricular activities, the 天美影视 DC school year consists of 191 school days that are 8 hours each.

Employment

  • How do I apply to 天美影视 DC?

    Visit our page to browse current openings and apply online!

  • What are the requirements to teach at a 天美影视 school?

    To be a 天美影视 DC teacher, you must hold a bachelor鈥檚 degree and have a passion for working with students, often from educationally underserved communities. No matter where you are coming from, at 天美影视 DC you will be joining a diverse network of empowered teachers and leaders that hold their students to high expectations and strive to help every student reach their potential to succeed.

  • What are the requirements to be a school leader at 天美影视 DC?

    天美影视 was founded on the idea that great leaders create great schools, and that a great school can change the trajectory of a child鈥檚 life. To be a 天美影视 DC school leader, you must possess the unyielding belief in every child鈥檚 potential to succeed in top-quality high schools, colleges, and in the competitive world beyond.

    Additionally, you should meet the following credentials:

    • Instructional expertise in a K-12 classroom
    • At least two years of teaching/leadership experience in a low-income school with demonstrated exemplary student results
    • A record of success in leading adults
    • The capacity to define a vision, build a team, and achieve results
    • Broad experience as an instructional leader to teachers of all subjects

    The 天美影视 Foundation recruits school leaders through two, year-long fellowship programs. For more information, you can visit or.

  • What support roles exist within 天美影视 regions or at the 天美影视 Foundation?

    There are several support roles that are critical to the overall 天美影视 DC mission of providing the best education to children in Washington, D.C. You can join the 天美影视 DC team in a support role on the school level, at the 天美影视 DC headquarters, or within the 天美影视 Foundation. If you are interested in working with 天美影视 DC or the 天美影视 Foundation, check the page to view our current job openings.

  • What types of candidates are you looking to hire for these support roles?

    You should have both professional experience as well as a belief and commitment to 天美影视鈥檚 mission of helping every child succeed in top-quality high schools, colleges, and the competitive world beyond. Individual job opportunities and requirements vary by role and will be specified in the job description.

  • What professional development is available to 天美影视 DC staff?

    You will never stop learning at 天美影视 DC! We believe there will always be room to learn, grow, and improve at each stage of your career. You will have the opportunity to be developed through, school and region-wide professional development, and national leadership training through the (KSLP).

Capital Teaching Residency

  • What is the Capital Teaching Residency Program?

    The Capital Teaching Residency (CTR) is a nationally recognized, highly selective, three-year teacher training program that provides a pathway for new teachers to develop into outstanding educators. 聽Your first year in the CTR will be your residency year. During your residency year, you will have the opportunity to obtain your teaching certification while training in the classroom with a highly effective mentor teacher. Following your residency year, you will be committed to two additional years of teaching at 天美影视 DC or a partner public charter school in Washington, D.C.

  • How do I apply to be a Capital Teaching Resident?

    The first step is to complete your online application. If the selection team feels that you are a potential fit for the CTR, you will be asked to move forward to a phone interview. The phase following your phone interview will be an in-person interview with the school leaders that directly manage the Capital Teaching Residents. You will be notified of your final status within two to three weeks of your in-person interview.

    Although CTR will conduct six application cycles, we encourage you to apply as early as possible. The CTR evaluates applications and hires candidates on a rolling basis. Therefore, there is a significant advantage to applying early in the application season.

  • Who should apply to the CTR program?

    CTR is a highly selective program. You will have the highest chance of acceptance if you:

    • Have obtained a bachelor鈥檚 degree by June of 2019 (required) and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher
    • Have not previously served for a full year as a lead teacher
    • Once hired, successfully pass your first Praxis II exam, as well as the CORE exam, before you begin your residency year in the fall
    • Have a history of achievement and perseverance
    • Are growth-oriented, ready to learn the art of teaching, and willing to work extremely hard in order to continuously improve your craft
    • Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to students and the mission of 天美影视 DC
    • Are a team player who is willing to work collaboratively with others to support the success of students.
  • Does the CTR program train Residents in all grade levels and all subject areas?

    Each year, over 50 percent of the Capital Teaching Residents are placed as Early Childhood Education (ECE) Residents.聽聽ECE Residents are placed in classrooms with students ages three to five. As an ECE Resident, you will benefit from the unique experience of working with D.C.鈥檚 youngest students at a critical point in their development.

    Preference for selection into the secondary math and science training program will be given to applicants with strong backgrounds in math and science (typically candidates who completed a degree in math or science during their undergraduate careers).

    Secondary positions are available at both the middle school and high school levels. Secondary Residents are required to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching during their second year of commitment.

Organizational

  • Are 天美影视 DC schools public schools?

    Yes. 天美影视 DC schools are tuition-free, public schools open to all students who live in Washington, D.C. The 天美影视 DC network currently serves 6,800 students at 18 schools on six campuses in the District of Columbia.

  • What is a charter school?

    Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that are open to all students. They are independently operated schools that run with more flexibility than traditional public schools in exchange for increased accountability.

    Like all public schools, charter schools are held to state and federal academic standards, open to all students, including those with disabilities, funded primarily through federal, state, and local tax dollars, and are not affiliated with or restricted to a particular religious group.

    The 鈥渃harter鈥 that establishes each school is a contract detailing the school鈥檚 mission, program plans, performance goals, and methods of assessment. Every public charter school has an authorizer that is responsible for holding the school accountable for compliance with their operating agreement or 鈥渃harter.鈥 Authorizers of charter schools often include a district school board, university, Mayor鈥檚 office, or non-profit organization.

  • What is the role of the 天美影视 Foundation?

    天美影视 DC is part of a national network of schools that operate with the help of the . The non-profit 天美影视 Foundation trains and develops outstanding educators to lead 天美影视 schools, provides training for excellent teaching and learning, promotes innovation, and facilitates resource and idea exchange within the 天美影视 network. The 天美影视 Foundation provides support to 天美影视 DC to ensure we are able to help children develop the academic and character strengths they need for college and choice-filled lives.

  • What is a 天美影视 Region?

    天美影视 DC is a 天美影视 regional organization. Each 天美影视 regional organization is a separate non-profit that oversees the 天美影视 schools in their 天美影视. 天美影视 DC provides alumni support, teacher training, leadership development, advocacy, operations, and data analysis to the 天美影视 schools in Washington, D.C. Each regional organization is governed by a local board of directors and led by an executive director.

  • What is the history of 天美影视?

    began in 1997 when two former Teach For America teachers, Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, launched a fifth grade learning program within a public elementary school in Houston, Texas. The program they launched had five core pillars: high expectations, choice and commitment, more time, power to lead, and a focus on results. The following year, Mike and Dave used these principles as the foundation for two new public schools, both named 天美影视 Academy Middle School. In 2000, the non-profit 天美影视 Foundation was established to recruit and train outstanding school leaders to open and run 天美影视 schools in more communities across the country. The five founding principles are guiding 209 天美影视 schools today.

  • How are 天美影视 schools funded?

    天美影视 schools are public charter schools that are primarily funded by local and state dollars, along with some funding from the federal government.

    Local and state per-pupil funding covers the vast majority of 天美影视鈥檚 operational costs. To fund 天美影视鈥檚 expansion and ensure the sustainability of 天美影视 schools, 天美影视 regions raise additional funding from local donors and foundations.

    天美影视 DC relies completely on private funding to support special programs like the Capital Teaching Residency and 天美影视 Through College & Career.

    To learn more about 天美影视 DC鈥檚 funders or to make a contribution to 天美影视 DC, visit our Get Involved page.

天美影视 Forward

  • What is 天美影视 Forward?

    天美影视 DC鈥檚 天美影视 Forward program supports 天美影视 DC students and alumni throughout their journey to and through high school, college, and as they are introduced into the workforce.

    A team of counselors helps students and alumni prepare for and select the right college and career based on their interests and passions. After high school, 天美影视 advisors will help your child navigate the academic, social, and financial challenges they might encounter while in college or pursuing a career.

  • Who participates in the 天美影视 Forward program?

    All 天美影视 DC high school students are automatically enrolled in the 天美影视 Forward program. Students who graduated eighth grade from a 天美影视 DC school are also eligible for 天美影视 Forward, regardless of whether or not they attend a 天美影视 DC high school.

  • How can I support 天美影视 Forward?

    The 天美影视 Forward program would not exist without the support of private philanthropy. Your contributions allow us to offer the support and services needed to help our students close the college completion gap in D.C.

Other

  • Why does 天美影视 focus on character development?

    天美影视 was founded on a belief that students need both a strong academic foundation and well-developed character strengths to succeed in college and the world beyond. These two principles are deeply interconnected and 天美影视 works to make sure one is never sacrificed for the other.

    Our approach to character is grounded in seven character strengths that are found to be highly predictive of success in life: zest, grit, optimism, self-control, gratitude, social intelligence, and curiosity. Our character framework was developed by 天美影视 NYC in collaboration with Dr. Angela Duckworth, Dr. Martin Seligman, the late Dr. Chris Peterson, and in partnership with Riverdale Country School.

  • What is 天美影视's curriculum?

    A high quality curriculum plays a critical role in unlocking student potential. 天美影视 schools鈥 curricula are rigorous, standards-based, and carefully designed to prepare each child to succeed in college, career, and life beyond.

  • How can I volunteer at 天美影视 DC?

    There are plenty of opportunities for you to connect with students, alumni, and teachers by volunteering at 天美影视 DC! Subscribe to our volunteer update newsletter to stay connected.

  • How can I partner with 天美影视?

    Check out our 骋别迟听滨苍惫辞濒惫别诲 page聽to start the conversation!

  • What are 天美影视 DC鈥檚 plans for growth?

    天美影视 DC aspires to reach even more students in the District of Columbia. In June 2017, 天美影视 DC received approval from the D.C. Public Charter School board to open a second high school in the District. This is a positive step in the pursuit of our mission to ensure that all students in Washington, D.C. have access to an excellent education.