Teach Plus launched its work with teachers in Chicago in the Spring of 2010 with exciting Teach Plus Network forums that invited all interested teachers the opportunity to learn about education policy and give feedback to policymakers.  We have had over 240 Chicago area teachers attend these Teach Plus Network events and learn from and give feedback to leaders like like Dr. Tim Knowles, who spoke about teacher leadership, State Superintendent Dr. Christopher Koch and the Executive Director of the Education Association of Illinois, and Michelle Rhee from StudentsFirst. (click here to see historic Teach Plus Network Events) 

The Fellowship launched in the fall of 2010 with 20 Chicago area district and charter teachers chosen from a pool of over 100 applicants.  They have started their Fellowship by learning about and meeting top level staff from the State Board of Education, and have shared feedback with district policy makers crafting the Teaching for Learning framework for the Chicago Public Schools. In addition, one of the Fellows, Monica Sims, represented Chicago-area teachers and Teach Plus at the NBC-sponsored Education Nation. In the Fall of 2012 we will welcome our second cohort of Teaching Policy Fellows. 

In Chicago, teachers can take advantage of:

This highly selective program is for teachers who are interested in learning how to advocate for policies that will better serve students and retain excellent teachers. Our first cohort of Teach Plus Policy Fellows is currently engaged in supporting the Teaching for Learning Framework for Chicago Public Schools, participating in national forums such as NBC’s Education Nation, and in advocating for teacher quality policy reforms they think would modernize the teaching profession. The Chicago Teaching Policy Fellows 2010-2012 cohort is made up of twenty top teacher leaders from urban schools in the Chicago Public Schools as well as seven area charter schools.  Read their bios here.

The Teach Plus Network is a rapidly growing national movement of teachers who want to: connect with highly motivated peers and national and local policy leaders, learn about innovative policies to empower effective teachers, and be a voice for change within the teaching profession.  The Teach Plus Network began in Chicago in the spring of 2010 and has engaged over 200 teachers since then.  Past guest speakers have included: Dr. Timothy Knowles, Director of the Urban Education Institute at the University of Chicago; Tim Daly, President of the New Teacher Project; Dr. Christopher Koch, State Superintendent of Illinois; and Audrey Soglin, Executive Director of the Illinois Education Association.  Read more about past events here.