Kansas City (Mo.) district says Teach for America will supply new teachers

From The Kansas City Star: The Kansas City (Mo.) school board has approved a contract that calls for Teach for America to supply at least 250 new teachers over the next three years, beginning with 150 to 170 this fall. Teach for America is a national program that recruits top college graduates, regardless of their fields of study, and puts them through intensive training to teach in some of the nation’s neediest classrooms. They commit to at least two years in the classroom. Kansas City first contracted with the organization in the 2008-2009 school year, when 50 teachers came to the district. At the time, the district intended to add 50 more in 2009-2010. But the district began laying off teachers to fit a smaller enrollment. Only about 30 Teach for America teachers are working in the district; in the coming yeaewr, the district expects to have at least 150 positions to fill.