2024-2025 YEARBOOK
Network
Corps Experience
ate Impact
ram
munity Collaboration: TFA x Commit x O’Donn
s Trailblazers in Education
Hello,
It is with deep gratitude and excitement that I share Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth’s 2024–2025 Yearbook—a celebration of the impact you have helped make possible. Much like a school yearbook, these pages capture the people, stories, and milestones that defined this year. As you read them, I hope you feel immense pride knowing that your generosity has been a driving force behind every success we’ve achieved.
Last year, more than 150 corps members and over 1,500 alumni taught, led, and advocated for students across North Texas. Together, we are working toward our bold 2030 goal: to double the number of students in our community impact zones who graduate high school prepared for college, career, or military service. This year, we’ve continued to recruit exceptional talent, support alumni leading in education and mission-aligned roles, and expand the Ignite Fellowship (now in its second school year) to help close pandemic-related learning gaps through high-impact tutoring. We also launched the first of it’s kind, SAT-focused Ignite Fellowship partnership, expanding opportunities for students to prepare for college success.
We’ve also leaned into community by bringing our community together through signature events like Trailblazers and Crafts, Boots & BBQ, ce supporters driving lasting impact across North Texas.
Your investment doesn’t just change lives in the prese what’s possible for generations to come. The collectiv this community fuels our mission and ensures studen resourced schools have access to the education and they deserve.
Thank you for believing in our work and in the limitles every child. I am inspired by what we have accomplished even more excited about the future we are building side
With i tit d
Bibi Yasmin Katsev Executive Director
Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth
ABOUT US
2024-2025SchoolYear
Our Vision
One day, all children will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
Our Mission
Teach For America finds, develops and supports extraordinary leaders to transform education and expand opportunity for all children.
1 TFA Dallas-Fort Worth floods the zone with exceptional, action-oriented leaders, tutors, corps members, & alumni.
Our Approach
2 TFA Dallas-Fort Worth provides the ecosystem of support necessary to produce positive student outcomes.
3 TFA contributes to community-level systems change across North Texas.
By 2030, twice as many students in our Dallas-Fort Worth Community Impact Zones will achieve college and career readiness and success, indicating that they are on a path to economic mobility and a future filled with possibility.
Community Impact Zones Key Impact Indicators
OUR NETWORK
Our Alumni
1,520
Alumni Across North Texas
2/3
62 of Alumni Still Work Directly in Education
School & School Systems Leaders
EXPERIENCE THE CORPS
At Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth, many of our corps members go on to become changemakers across a wide range of fields both locally and nationally and it all starts with their time in the classroom.
Their experiences, inside and beyond those four walls, shape their journey. That’s why we prioritize comprehensive supports and services that help them thrive. Throughout the year, corps members participate in engaging social events, access professional development tailored to their interests, and connect with education leaders from across North Texas.
97%
of CMs feel like they are building important skills to ensure that all children have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
97%
of CMs are committed to working, now, and in the future, to ensure that all children have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
97%
of CMs report they are effectively contributing to the effort to ensure that all children have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
of CMs report working in partnership with families and community members. 95%
“This experience has deepened my commitment to ensuring every child has access to the support, encouragement, and belief they need to succeed...”
After working as a university recruiter, I saw how the quality of a student’s school experience could shape their entire future. Visiting campuses across different communities revealed deep gaps in opportunity and support. I knew I wanted to do something to change that and to be the kind of adult who champions students’ potential and reminds them that someone truly believes in them.
Teach For America offered the perfect opportunity to turn that motivation into action. Joining the Dallas-Fort Worth region allowed me to begin my career as a teacher, leader, and advocate, while learning what it truly takes to help students thrive.
In the classroom, I’ve discovered both immense joy and profound challenges. My students continually teach me about resilience, compassion, and community. Together, we’ve created a classroom that feels like family, a place where everyone belongs. At the same time, I’ve learned how demanding the work can be when resources are limited and expectations are high. Still, we do our best with what we have, and my students remind me daily that effort and heart can go a long way.
If I could change one thing, it would be to create more spaces where students can express themselves freely and grow into who they are meant to be. This experience has deepened my commitment to ensuring every child has access to the support, encouragement, and belief they need to succeed, both inside and beyond the classroom.
Drew Henry
Dallas-Fort Worth 2023 Corps Member
High School World History, Uplift Education
LEADERSHIP ALUMNI
Driven by their classroom experience, many Teach For America alumni choose to continue teaching in high-need schools beyond their twoyear commitment or step into leadership roles at every level within local school districts and charter systems. Others take on influential positions in sectors dedicated to dismantling inequities and advancing positive change for children and communities. No matter the path, our alumni share a lifelong commitment to expanding access and opportunity for all students.
TFA
Shaping Policy Across North Texas
TFA Alumni Principals in North Texas
Our Alumni are Leaders in Our Community
ACCELERATE IMPACT TFA LEADERS
TFA teachers who teach beyond two years improve twice as fast as non-TFA teachers in their first five years.
TFA-led classrooms match or outperform non-TFA classrooms on the STAAR exam.
60% of TFA teachers stay in the classroom for three or more years, compared to just 45% of non-certified teachers in similar school environments.
TFA corps members and alumni are making a consistent and significant impact on student learning across the country, no matter the region, subject area, or grade level.
Schools led by TFA alumni principals serve more economically disadvantaged students (83% vs. 64% statewide) yet outperform peer campuses (66% A/B ratings vs. 54% statewide).
TFA teachers help students gain ~23 extra days of learning each school year.
The Ignite Fellowship is a tutoring corps that builds on the support we provide to students across North Texas. Since its launch in spring 2024, Ignite has helped students reach key reading and math milestones through high-impact tutoring. By delivering personalized support and fostering meaningful connections, our fellows accelerate learning while strengthening students’ sense of belonging in their classrooms and schools.
In alignment with our 2030 goal, our tutors focused on 3rd-grade reading and 8th-grade math—skills proven by research to be critical predictors of post-secondary success and long-term opportunity.
100%
of students felt their Ignite tutor taught them in a way they personally learned best!
100%
of Fellows (tutors) said they felt supported and satisfied with being a part of the Ignite Fellowship Program and believed they had a positive impact on students.
~1,200+
extra hours of learning for students built into their existing school day
OUR DISTRICT PARTNERS
COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
Teach For America Dallas–Fort Worth is honored to receive a $2 million grant from The O’Donnell Foundation, a transformative investment that will expand educational and economic opportunities for students across North Texas.
Over the next two years, this funding will strengthen college and career readiness through strategic partnerships with Commit Partnership and the Economic Mobility Center, ensuring students are equipped for long-term success.
11. . 2. 2.
Doublethenumberof IgniteFellowsproviding high-impactSAT tutoringtostudentsin high-needschools
3. 3.
Advance postsecondary successthrough alignedinitiativeswith CommitPartnership
Acceleratealumni leadershipdevelopment, increasingtheirimpact acrosseducation systemsstatewide
On Tuesday, February 19th, hundreds of education leaders and supporters gathered at Old Parkland for the 2025 Texas Trailblazers in Education event to discuss the future of education in North Texas. The panel, moderated by Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde, featured distinguished voices including Teach For America alumni Ben Mackey (Dallas ISD Trustee, Board Vice President and Teach For America 2009 Alumni), Miguel Solis (President, The Commit Partnership and Teach For America 2009 Alumni), and The Honorable James Talarico (Texas House of Representatives, District 50 and Teach For America 2011 Alumni).
Together, they shared insights on the progress made, ongoing challenges, and the critical work ahead to ensure every student receives an excellent education.
OUR SUPPORTERS
$100,000+
Amon G Carter Foundation
H-E-B (multi-region support)
Monica and Leland White
ODonnell Foundation
OneStar Foundation
Pat and Dan Wright
Sid W Richardson Foundation
Texas Education Agency
Texas Instruments Foundation
The Addy Foundation
The Eugene McDermott Foundation
The Hirsch Family Foundation
$25,000 - $99,999
Anne and Robert Raymond
Byrne Family Foundation
Catherine and Will Rose
CFP Foundation
Chris and Joe Popolo
David B Miller Family Foundation
Harold Simmons Foundation
Jerry Freeman, Jr.
Kathy and Harlan Crow
Las Vegas Sands Corporation
Lindsay and George Billingsley
Lyda Hill Philanthropies
MR & Evelyn Hudson Foundation
Mary Potishman Lard Trust
Mike A. Myers
Mike and Mary Terry Family Foundation Piñon Foundation
Schimberg Memorial Fund
The Baldridge Foundation
The George and Fay Young Foundation
The Hersh Foundation
The Hoglund Foundation
The Kleinheinz Family Foundation
The Lowe Foundation
The Meadows Foundation
The Moody Foundation
Ann and Lee Hobson
Anonymous
Barbara and Steve Durham
Beverly and Don Freeman
Billie and Gillis
Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth is deeply grateful for the support of the following individuals, corporations, and foundations that contributed $250+ to our efforts in our most recent fiscal year (June 1, 2024-May 31, 2025).
Thomas Family Foundation
Dana Starner and Kenji Hashimoto
Anonymous
Ayco Charitable Foundation
Barbara Rosenblatt
Betsy and Richard Eiseman
Caren and Peter Kline
Carol and Richard Minker
$10,000-$24,999
Dawne and Pat Tribolet
Jennifer and Tom Karol
Laura and Greg Koonsman
Libby and Murray McCabe
Mary Ann and James R Harris
Merry and Chad Vose
Nancy and Steve Rogers
Neeta and Andrew Delaney
Stacey and Reid Walker
The Rosewood Foundation
Thomas M, Helen McKee, and John P Ryan Foundation
TurningPoint Foundation
Wendy and Bill Payne
Caroline Harrison
Community Impact Fund of The Dallas Foundation
Dean Stephanie Knight
Dr Elizabeth Anne Small and Stanley M Herrin
Flauren and Jason Bender
Gwyn and Wilson Mason
Jaggers Family Fund at The Dallas Foundation
Jennifer and Jon Mosle
Jill and Roderick Burns
Karen and Mark Carney
Kelsey and Heather Bridgewater Clark
Kerr Family Fund of the Dallas Foundation
Lisa and Peter Kraus
Nancy and David Dini
Pilar and Jay Henry
Sherri and Alan Darver
The Honorable Daniel and Stacey Branch
The Kline Family Foundation
Tracey and Aaron Kozmetsky
Vin and Caren Prothro Foundation
Whitney and Ryan Turner
William Srinivasan
$5,000-$9,999
$
OUR FINANCIALS
Fiscal Year 2025
June 1, 2024 - May
LoriAltschuler
Our Regional Advisory Board 2025-2026
FlaurenBender
HonorableDanBranch
We are deeply grateful to the outstanding leaders who rolled off the TFA Dallas–Fort Worth Regional Board this year. Their vision, dedication, and steadfast commitment to educational excellence have shaped our region and left a lasting legacy for the students and educators we serve. Building on the momentum they helped create, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the Fort Worth Regional Advisory Board in 2026—a vibrant new group of local leaders committed to strengthening community partnerships, amplifying our impact, and advancing opportunities for students across Fort Worth.
BoardChair Founder,LABStrategies
BoardVice-Chair CivicLeader
LindsayBillingsley
DawneTribolet
ImmediatePastBoardChair CivicLeader
LydiaAddy Co-founder&VicePresident, TheAddyFoundation CommunityVolunteer
KelseyBridgewaterClark ManagingDirector&Partner, BostonConsultingGroup
Vice President (retired), TXU Corp LeilaSa COO, Fort Worth Education Partnership
AlexJimenez
BillPayne President, DruidHillsCapital,LLC
ElizabethWattley President&CEO, ForestForward
Board Chair Civic Leader
JoannaCrain Chief of Staff, Child Care Associates
AndreMcEwing Business Development Manager, Tarrant County
College
ErichHolm Founder and Managing Partner, E Capital
KathyCrow
CathyEstrada
Thank you for making the 2024–2025 school year extraordinary! Your partnership with Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth has been essential to recruiting, developing, and empowering the corps members and alumni who are driving meaningful, lasting change in public education across our community.
As we move into the year ahead, we are committed to bringing exceptional talent to North Texas classrooms and strengthening our support for a growing alumni network that is expanding opportunities for every student in our city.
Together, we can achieve more than any of us could alone and we are deeply grateful for your continued trust, investment, and belief in this mission.
www.teachforamerica.org/dallas-fort-worth
www.instagram.com/tfadfw
www.linkedin.com/company/teach-for-america-dallas-fort-
ONE DAY, all children will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.