Now More Than Ever- TFA LV Annual Report

NOW MORE THAN EVER 2019-2020 ANNUAL REPORT

One day... Thanks to your support, we are making it possible for low-income students in our community to access an education that allows them to fulfill their full potential and realize their greatest dreams. Thanks to generous individuals, we are one step closer to achieving our vision that one day all children will have the opportunity to access an excellent education.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 A Message from Our Advisory Board 4 The Problem & Our Approach 6 Our Corps 8 Our Students 9 Our Teachers 10 Above & Beyond 12 Community Engagement 14 Summer 2020 16 Our Alumni 18 Innovation- ed.Xtraordinary 20 Sustainability 21 Our Supporters 22 Our Staff 24 Advisory Board of Directors



Dear Friends and Supporters, More has to be done to ensure our educators, children, and the community are equipped for Teach For America Las Vegas is proud to partner virtual learning and the challenges this year brings. with you to provide more students in our region TFA Las Vegas stands ready to help and support with access to an excellent and equitable this endeavor. education. While the past nine months have been a difficult time for students, families, and teachers, In addition to a pandemic disproportionately we refuse to let this be a year of lost learning. This impacting people of color, our country reckoning year, like the 15 years that preceded it, TFA Las with racial inequity, especially anti-Blackness. Vegas will focus on meeting the needs of kids in This is not a new realization for us; it is very much our community to ensure they thrive and succeed. on our minds today and always. We’re focusing In this annual report, we look back at a unique our efforts to prepare our diverse corps to meet year and forward to a new era of education and the needs of Clark County’s diverse students. the integral role Teach For America in Nevada is This includes a focus on Diversity, Equity, and playing during this critical time in education. Inclusiveness in our programming and equipping our educators with tools in Culturally Responsive During the 2019-2020 school year, 185 diverse, Pedagogy. TFA Las Vegas is proud to be one of motivated corps members led classrooms across the most diverse pipelines for talent in Nevada, Las Vegas. Incredibly, at mid-year, students in our to invest in educator training, and to strengthen TFA-led classrooms were on track to achieve that commitment year after year. We are rooted a year and a half of growth by year end. In the in deepening our understanding of the inequities second half of the year, once the pandemic began, impacting families and students of color with the this group demonstrated enormous resilience. goal of achieving One Day, where all kids have Teachers adapted to ensure students remained access to the excellent, quality education they supported through virtual teaching, 1:1 check-ins, deserve. and delivering essential supplies. As current and former educators, school leaders, and education In a moment that requires leadership for equity specialists, TFA alumni stepped up to provide and advocacy for our most vulnerable students, additional services to both new corps members the work of Teach For America has never mattered and students. more. Your partnership is deeply valued and appreciated, and we thank you for your unwavering Disruption from the pandemic provided us with the commitment and support. Together we can strive opportunity to create and innovate. To prepare the to allow each and every student the opportunity to 2020 Corps, TFA designed a new national Virtual experience a world where they can imagine, learn, Summer Teacher Training. Locally, in the true spirit grow and thrive. of #VegasStrong, our community came together to help us launch a Vegas Virtual Summer Camp. With hope, With 27 veteran educators and 86 new educators, TFA Las Vegas Advisory Board we reached 500 students in grades 1-12 to help Sean Parker, Executive Director them recover lost learning and prepare them for the next school year. 03 ANNUAL REPORT 2020

THE PROBLEM America is not yet If a student is not proficient in preparing all children to third-grade reading, they are learn, lead, and thrive in 4x more likely to drop out a rapidly changing world. of high school than those who are reading proficiently Education remains one of the in third grade. most significant influences for a child’s chance at success. If a student passes Algebra I Research shows that of all the by their freshman year of high factors tied to intergenerational school, they are 2x more likely economic mobility, nearly one- to graduate high school than third are tied to education. those who have not passed Algebra I by ninth grade. 48% of Clark County students are currently reading on grade level by third grade. 16% of economically disadvantaged students in Clark County are currently proficient in 8th grade math. 10% of Clark County high school graduates are considered college, career or military ready. 04

OUR APPROACH FIND IMPACT DEVELOP SYSTEMS- FOSTER COLLECTIVE PROMISING LEADERS STUDENTS & SCHOOLS CHANGE LEADERS LEADERSHIP We find leaders who commit We support our educators to We develop long-term We foster community to teach for two years in a advance the academic and leadership skills through the among teachers low-income community. personal growth of students. teaching experience throughout their lifetime. “A teacher is an igniter to endless possibilities for the future leaders of tomorrow. – Joshua A. Dacres 2018 Las Vegas ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Our Corps Who Makes it Happen Our Corps, 1st and 2nd year teacher leaders are impacting ~15,000 students Amanda Lester daily in schools in Historic Westside, North, Manager of Onboarding East, and Central Las Vegas (sometimes referred to as the “Urban Core”). “I am our incoming corps members’ #1 cheerleader! I STRONG help prepare corps members to feel logistically and emotionally 84 First Year Teachers ready to impact students and 81 Second Year Teachers achieve outcomes toward educational equity in our 06 Las Vegas community.” Keeghan Alexander and Daniel Santos Operations Team “We work hard behind-the- scenes creating enterprise systems to steward our resources and enable the team’s best work for kids.” Anonymous Donor An anonymous donor fuels our core program and innovation and impacts all of us here in Las Vegas.

10% 10% Other Asian 30% 19% Latinx Black Teacher Racial 7% Breakdown Multi Subject 24% Placement White 46% Elementary 16% Secondary English 12% Special Education 11% Secondary Math 9% Early Childhood Education 6% Secondary Science ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Our Students Mid Year Data At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, 40% Years of Growth for we assessed our students and results showed Elementary Students that the vast majority of them tested well below the national standard used to measure 46% Years of Growth for progress toward the knowledge and skills Middle School Students necessary to demonstrate college and career readiness at each grade level according to 62% Towards End-of-Year Goals MAP and ACT scores. An overwhelming 97% for High School Students of our elementary school students started third grade well below average proficiency Who Makes in reading and 99% below in Math compared it Happen to students across the nation taking the same assessments, and this achievement gap Katie Krackhardt, becomes even more pronounced at higher grade levels. Director of Academic Excellence “I support our coaches and teachers Only 2.5% of 9th graders were on track for to ensure that our teachers set strong career and college readiness based on reading academic goals for their students assessments taken August-September 2019, that are continuous. COVID affected and less than 1% of those same students were our ability to collect end of year data, on track based on math scores. however we are navigating through this new reality to ensure that we Our mid-year data (December 2019) showed have rigorous data-driven classrooms.” that students made meaningful progress and were on track for a year and a half of learning Engelstad Foundation gains. Given the predicted extra learning in the second semester, our students were overall on We are deeply thankful the Engelstad track to meet their year and a half of growth Foundation invests in Teach For America, goals, but COVID-19 disrupted learning and and honored to be united in common assessments. Although students did not receive purpose and shared values in building an end of year assessment, research predicts a more prosperous Las Vegas. that about half of the learning gains they have made will likely be lost. Windsong Trust 08 We are proud to partner with Windsong Trust towards our common vision to ensure all children have access to an excellent education.

Our Teachers 165 While our staff and teachers experienced, like so Corps Members many across the country, a sense of grief, they have also shown a deep passion and unwavering 359 commitment to provide students in Las Vegas with an excellent education. They know the Alumni Teachers education gap is widening and in response they are tapping into their superpower of resilience An overwhelming 97% of classrooms led and leadership (two markers we recruit for). by our corps members had virtual student engagement plans. As an immediate response to the pandemic and the social unrest, we doubled down our efforts “This year we were focused on achieving to support teachers’ emotional resilience to help dramatic academic results with students them face this time of unprecedented change. and developing critically conscious leaders We also focused on providing tools to respond who are rooted in Las Vegas. Our Managers to the trauma that their students are facing, both of Teacher Leadership Development play during the quarantine and in anticipation of their a vital role in supporting the development return to the classroom. of our teachers both inside and outside of the classroom to achieve their personal and We created and implemented a professional professional goals.” development series focused on online education best practices, which was also – Jessica Stanley opened to non-TFA teachers. Managing Director, Teacher Leadership Development Who Makes it Happen Courtney Guenard, Senior Managing Director Teacher Leadership Development Team: Ayianna Bailey Sarah Bortmas Pam Cates-Albert Lisa Hairston Kate Kaufman Katie Krackhardt Ashanté Herring

Now more than ever, our teachers are going ABOVE & BEYOND In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our teachers are meeting our students and families where they are. The incredible work that TFA teachers are doing in Las Vegas is only possible with supporters like you. 10

Vanessa Chen (Las Vegas ‘13), Special Education Teacher, Kate Kaufman 6th Grade English teacher at Bailey (Las Vegas ‘13), has been meeting with Middle School, helped distribute students and parents at KO Knudson Middle 400+ laptops to Bailey Middle virtually and guiding them through social- School students as they engage emotional support. in virtual learning. 2nd Year Corps Member Matt Dang Raquel Cordova (Las Vegas ‘16), created a group raising awareness about 2nd grade teacher at Martin Luther microaggressive and racist remarks King Elementary, organized a teacher directed towards Asian Americans as car parade in her school community a result of COVID-19. to show the students and families that they love them and encourage them First year teacher Nayda Peace is working through tough times. on a Legacy Project, where Chaparral High School seniors are creating a book Michelle Chen (Las Vegas ‘17), of legacies they want to leave after they 3rd grade teacher Vegas Verde graduate. It will remind them to always Elementary, begins her virtual class choose courage because people are with gratitude activity. Naida (student) rooting for them. shared: “I’m thankful for my teacher Ms. Chen and the rest of our class.” Greg Wingert (Las Vegas ‘17), Math Teacher at Canyon Springs High School, created face Sarah Johnson, 2nd Year Corps mask clips for doctors & nurses using 3D Member at West Prep Middle, hand printer. They also made face masks for wrote over 100 encouraging notes friends and families. for her students and is mailing them to each individual student with extra In response to the quick transition love to the ones that she hasn’t been to virtual learning, TFA alumni, staff, able to reach. teachers and community members participated in our Virtual Library- a Youtube playlist with read alouds. https://bit.ly/3hUNu0C ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Community Engagement We strive to root our teachers and alumni in our Las Vegas community. 12

Community beyond Vegas Roots the classroom Service Day In Fall of 2019 our corps members, TFA staff and corps members alumni and staff participated in a engaged in a day of service variety of community events such as volunteering at the Vegas Vegas Rooted Service Day, City of Roots community garden. North LV Harvest Fair & Carnival and the 11th Annual Dia de Muertos. City of North Las Vegas Harvest Fair & Carnival TFA LV participated in the annual Harvest Fest trunk or Treat- Distributing sweet treats and interacting with students and families. The event had over 8,000 attendees. 11th Annual Springs Preserve Dia De Muertos Celebrating a centuries-old tradition rooted in Latin American cultures, TFA corps members, alumni and staff entered the Altar Competition honoring the world and local teachers that have passed. “La Escuelita” won first place in the Non-Profit Altar category. 16 alumni serve on non-profit or charter school boards. ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Summer 2020 Who Makes it Happen 88% of corps members agreed they met learning objectives during Virtual Teacher Preparation Summer Teaching Training (VSTT), Training Team: including deepening relationships Lindsay Eanes with students and families, assessing Amanda Lester leadership growth, cultivating self- Kathy Rudd awareness to increase alignment, developing an end of summer portfolio, We would like to thank and building emotional resilience. our supporters that made Summer Camp a reality for our community: Shameeda Abdul-Mumin Yuritzi Acosta Danielle Batin Alison Brasier Svenja Dahlstrom Kathleen Devleming Daryl Dupree Nicole Grabowski Myra Greenspun Ormond Guenard Dana Lee Jonas Linde Nicole Lovelock Mary Anne Murray Alejandro Rodriguez Paula Sneed Joann Toranto Melissa Young MGM Resorts International Wells Fargo Byron Dondoyano Jr. uses puppets to virtually engage his students.

SUMMER CAMP “My student Nick has been doing all the STUDENTS optional homework just to keep that brain sharp in between Fornite! I appreciate all you In response to massive learning loss, as a result do. This summer school experience has been of the interrupted school year due to COVID-19, just the bridge needed to make Nick feel TFA LV was the first TFA region to create a Virtual confident going into middle school.” Summer Camp. Sessions were held from July 13- 24 as a free service to the community and as an Joylynn M Ross, Parent invaluable learning opportunity for our incoming corps members, who taught during the second “When the school year changed abruptly week as a compliment to their VSTT program. last year, I think we were all unsure of so many things and, at least for me, some of To strengthen results for students, we recruited those worries transferred to what was going seasoned teachers and alumni to serve students to come: what would distance learning look as we continue supporting incoming corps like with a new group of students? What members. In the true spirit of #VegasStrong, our does accountability look like? What systems broader community came together to spread would I use? How would I build community? the word about this free opportunity to our Las TFA’s Virtual Summer Learning Camp has Vegas families. In less than two weeks, over 500 been a wonderful opportunity for me to students registered in grades 1-12. practice building community and organizing an effective classroom virtually. Moreover, it has reignited the joy and excitement I have for teaching. Through this experience, I feel confident that whatever form this fall takes, it will be okay. Our students will still be able to connect and to learn.” Kateri Theisen, Teacher 15 ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Our Alumni 10% of all Clark County five star 78% of our second year corps members are schools are led staying in Las Vegas for a third year, entering by TFA alumni alumni hood, compared to 61% the previous year. Our retention of fourth year alumni is at 4 alumni recieved 88%, which helps us create a larger and more Heart of Education diverse educational leadership force. This is Awards in part due to investments in leadership and professional development pathways that allow us to develop their leadership, increase their impact, and create “rootedness” in our city. During the 2019-2020 school year, 109 alumni participated in 19 leadership pathways, such as National Board Certification, School Leadership Programs and the Social Innovation Cohort. Over 400 of our alumni impact classrooms and schools in Las Vegas. 359 are teachers, 47 are Instructional Coaches and Assistant Principles, 11 are school leaders, and 16 lead at the state and district level. Other TFA Alums in LV work for non-profits and higher education organizations to support education. Who Makes “When we talk about the need for systems change, that it Happen change is going to come from our alumni. We have over 500 incredible TFA alumni in Las Vegas, leading from Wynn Resorts, Limited the classroom, at the district level, at the state level, and more. These are folks who believe deeply in the assets Wynn Resorts, Limited continues to of our community and in the potential of our children, serve our community and has been and give their best everyday towards educational equity. a leader in supporting COVID-19 response efforts. We value their One thing that is unique about TFA alumni in our region, partnership, support, and is that they are leaders beyond the classroom. Over 300 continued volunteer programs. of our alumni still work as classroom teachers, and almost all of them have taken on additional leadership roles to Alumni Impact Team: help teachers and students.” Drake Allsop – Drake Allsop, Managing Director, Alumni Impact Danielle Batin Doris Guvar 16

Increase investment in 6 leadership and professional development pathways. System Level Leaders 109 alumni participating 11 in 19 pathways School Leaders 78% alumni third 47 year retention Mid-Level 88% School Leaders alumni fourth year retention 549 Alumni Living in Las Vegas Greer Perkins Greer Perkins joined TFA Las Vegas corps in 2010, and to this day continues to teach. At that time, we did not have extensive alumni programming, so after her 2-year commitment, Greer was less involved with TFA. Then, in December 2018, she went to the Opportunity Fair hosted by TFA. This began a journey of getting and giving value to the alumni network that went on to include participating in the 2019 Aspiring School Leaders Fellowship, receiving the School Leadership Breakthrough Grant, and then being selected as a School Leader for the 2020 Las Vegas Institute. As a result, Greer is now preparing to open her own community center in Las Vegas within the next five years.

INNOVATION Who Makes it Happen ed.Xtraordinary The Bill & Melinda TFA LV has created our first Gates Foundation research and development We feel deeply aligned with education innovation lab in the goal of the Bill & Melinda Las Vegas: ed.Xtraordinary Gates Foundation to focus on improving education in our Education has long been slow to adapt to country through equity. We are the changing world. Students aren’t ready grateful for their partnership to for the challenges today let alone what the support innovation in education. future will bring. To accelerate the pace of change in education, TFA Las Vegas spent Marcus Howard, last year incubating ed.Xtaordinary. Set up as Director of Strategic Innovations an innovation lab separated from, but still a part of our team, ed.Xtraordinary will identify “The Fourth Industrial Revolution is global and local trends and then pilot aligned creating demand for millions of new education solutions. jobs, with vast new opportunities for fulfilling people’s potential and Led by Marcus Howard, the beta version of aspirations. As the future of work ed.Xtraordinary worked with the community continues to shape in the next wave and national experts to design, test, iterate, and of the 21st century, it is important validate the learning of five pilots in its inaugural that our education system adapts to year. The learning from this first year will help these emerging trends and needs. us refine our innovation process. We hope to ed.Xtraordinary will create pathways help make Las Vegas a place that defines the for students to gain the knowledge, future of education by equipping young people skills, and values to respond to and educators with the skills and resources to emerging trends and needs in the dream of new solutions. next chapter of the 21st century.” Read about three of our initial pilots- Social 18 NEED, Design Camp, and a Luma Institute training- on the next page. 18

Social NEED SocialNEED is an online assessment that allows students to record their social and emotional learning experiences, and subsequently allows teachers to review the data and make personalized and relevant SEL interventions in real-time. Design Camp Design Camp is a self-directed online resource that guides STEM teachers through an engaging and enriching design thinking experience. Luma Institute Training The training, a partnership with the Luma Institute, provided a Practitioner Certification Program for 10 local leaders and TFA staff members. We tested the idea that increased knowledge in Human Centered Design would accelerate the impact of education leaders in their daily jobs. Illustrated by ideaMACHINE Studio

Sustainability 23% Recruitment, Selection The 2019-2020 school year was so disruptive, but that did not stop you. You & Placement gave your valuable time, advice, care and money so that our teachers can continue 1% Management building strong relationships with students and families and provide our children with 40% 7% Fundraising a rigorous and joyous education. Teacher Development You, whether you are a parent, a business & Support leader or a civically engaged individual, you know that education is a path towards 18% Pre-Service opportunity and economic mobility. Training & Prep You believe that the recovery and 11% prosperity of our city depends on the Alumni collective we. It depends on us coming together in true #VegasStrong fashion to Affairs support the well-being and achievements of our students, families, and school FY20 EXPENSES: community. We (Board Members, TFA Staff, Corps Members, Alumni and $4,552,339 Families) thank you for your support. FY20 REVENUE: With your support we met our operating costs. $6,068,996 70% Individuals Sources of Revenue 22% 5% Foundations School Partnerships 2% 1% Corporate Public Who Made Development & External Affairs Team: it Happen Keith J.D. Hightower Brittany DuPree Ivy Quintero Yuritzi Acosta 20

Our Supporters Our work is possible with the generosity of our donors. Thank you for believing in us and helping us get closer to One Day in Las Vegas. $500,000+ $100 - $4,999 (continued) $1 - $99 (continued) Anonymous Kristen Miller Ivy Quintero Engelstad Foundation* Lauren Warshawsky Jack Stanley Windsong Trust* Leonard Raizin James Jones Megan Jones Jan Hemsworth $100,000 - $499,999 Miles Dickson Jarret Cauchy Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Mob Museum Jerry Ellis MGM Resorts International Nancy A Gingerelli Justin White Nevada Department of Education Nicole Grabowski Karen Smallwood U.S. Department of Education Ralph Van Houten Kate Kaufman Sandra Clarke Lynaugh Kathy Rudd $25,000 - $99,999 Sean Parker Katie Krackhardt USAA Savings Bank Shawna Wells Keeghan Alexander Wells Fargo The Las Vegas Valley Water District Keith J.D. Hightower Whirlpool Foundation Todd Marshall Kristin Miller Wynn Resorts, Limited United Way of Southern Nevada Larry Struve Wendell Blaylock Lauren Warshawsky $5,000 - $24,999 Wolzinger Family Foundation Lindsay Eanes Ande & Glen Christenson* Yuritzi Acosta Maria Rivera Quintero Dana & Greg Lee Mary Jane Necamp Greenberg Traurig LLP $1 - $99 Michael Flores Jodi & Gary Goodheart Alphonso Lucero Nazanin & Joshua Ford Morris A. Hazan Family Foundation Amanda Lester Nicholas Simon Myra & Brian Greenspun Anastasia Lyons Nicholas Stewart Stephen Mandel Anna Schmid Ofelia Gundersen Ariel Campbell Rachel Khattar $100 - $4,999 Ashley Miller Reyna Sosa Alejandro Rodriguez Ashton Aguilar Robert & Marjorie V Pitcher Ati Hakimi Ati Hakimi Ryan Linden Brittany O’Neil Ayianna Bailey Sashoy Blake Caroline App Ben Nguyen Selena Torres Charlotte & Paul E Hejmanowski Benjamin Koch Stacy Ellis Courtney Friedman Brenna Stout Stephen Murphy David Fott Brittany DuPree Susan Fields Elizabeth Roybal Camille Ungco Thomas Clay George Chami Chris Reger Tivona Betz Henry & Patricia D. Roskos Ciara Owens Tracy Goins Irma Bolm Courtney Guenard Tracy Snyder James Guenard Daniel Santos Tracy Williams Jan Kornrumph Danielle Batin UNO de 50 Jennifer Rutledge DeAnna Doyle Vedant Peris Jessica Rauch Diana Hull Victoria Sarantapoulos Jonathan Johnson Doris Guvar Yesenia Talavera Josh Gilmore Drake Allsop Keith J.D. Hightower Emilio Gomez SCHOOL PARTNERS Kelly Mercer Emily Polich Erica Mosca Clark County School District * Gift received in fiscal year 2021 Erik Van Houten Democracy Prep at the Agassi Campus Grace Hancock Equipo Academy Futuro Academy Nevada Prep Nevada Rise

OUR TEAM YURITZI KEEGHAN DRAKE AYIANNA ACOSTA ALEXANDER ALLSOP BAILEY DANIELLE SARAH PAMELA BRITTANY BATIN BORTMAS CATES-ALBERT DUPREE LINDSAY COURTNEY DORIS LISA EANES GUENARD GUVAR HAIRSTON 22

“Education work is people work. This tremendous team puts their heart and soul on the line every day to ensure our teachers, our alumni, and ultimately our students are thriving. I’m thankful to work alongside them in the pursuit of equity and excellence for kids in Nevada.” Sean Parker Executive Director Teach For America Las Vegas ASHANTÉ KEITH J.D. MARCUS ROB HERRING HIGHTOWER HOWARD JONES KATE KATIE AMANDA SEAN KAUFMAN KRACKHARDT LESTER PARKER IVY KATHY DAN JESSICA QUINTERO RUDD SANTOS STANLEY

Advisory Board of Directors The TFA LV Advisory Board deeply believes that an excellent education is possible for all kids in Las Vegas. We are so grateful for their commitment and dedication to our Las Vegas students. LUCI CYNTHIA WENDELL ANDE ALTMAN ASHER BLAYLOCK CHRISTENSON MILES MICHAEL NAZANIN SHELLEY DICKSON FLORES FORD GITOMER JODI MYRA DANA PUNAM GOODHEART GREENSPUN LEE MATHUR SHAWNA STEVEN WELLS WEITMAN 24

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NOW MORE THAN EVER. @TFALasVegas DESIGNED & ILLUSTRATED BY LISA CORUZZI