Texas is facing a public-school teacher shortage, with nearly 45% of new hires entering the profession uncertified. To help address the teacher shortage in Dallas, City Year and Uplift Education have launched a teacher pathway program called Corps Member Pathways to Teaching with funding from Lyda Hill Philanthropies and The Dallas Foundation’s What Else Do You Need to Be Awesome Together Fund (WEDYNTBA Together Fund)—one of the resources made available to nonprofit organizations that office at the Water Cooler at Pegasus Park.
As one of the nation’s largest nonprofit shared spaces, hosting 36 social impact organizations across roughly 175,000 square feet on the Pegasus Park office campus, the Water Cooler provides access to resources like the WEDYNBA Together Fund, to encourage its tenants to work together to achieve what they couldn’t alone. The physical proximity of City Year and Uplift Education led them to propose an idea that strengthens the impact of their respective programs.
With this initiative, the fund empowered City Year to offer its corps members scholarships for alternative teacher certification, allowing them to become full-time teachers at Uplift Education, ideally at the campuses where they already serve. The cost of certification—averaging around $5,000—can be a significant barrier for aspiring teachers, as it includes upfront exam fees required to enter the classroom on a probationary certificate. While many programs offer monthly payment plans, these still exceed $100 per month, which can be a financial strain given the rising cost of living. Traditionally, certification costs beyond testing are deducted from first-year teachers’ paychecks, reducing their take-home pay. By removing these financial hurdles and providing structured support, this program not only helps develop committed educators but also strengthens teacher recruitment and retention while addressing the broader challenge of teacher shortages in our community.
The Teacher Shortage in Dallas
A teacher shortage in Dallas has persisted for years, leading to the placement of partially trained or uncertified teachers in classrooms. Jacob Kirksey, an assistant professor at Texas Tech’s College of Education and associate director at the Center for Innovative Research in Change, Leadership, and Education, found that uncertified educators made up 45% of full-time, new teacher hires in Texas.
“These teachers who have none of that experience and have no formal training prior to becoming the full-time teacher in front of a big classroom of kids, these teachers are linked to a decline in about 3 to 4 months in student achievement,” says Kirksey.
While having uncertified educators in the classroom presents significant challenges, it’s equally concerning when alternative certification models lack the essential in-classroom experience that truly prepare educators for success. Through his research, Kirksey found that many alternative certification teachers are trained through fully online programs. These programs often involve simply clicking through PowerPoints, taking a test, and quickly earning an intern credential—without much, if any, classroom experience.
“The single most important indicator of an educator’s impact on students is having spent time in a classroom, watching other teachers and just being around students, before being tasked with leading a classroom all on their own,” believes Kirksey. “We need to focus on teacher prep programs that prioritize classroom time, mentorship, and support.”
How City Year Prepares Corps Members for Teaching Success
Recognizing the drawbacks of placing undertrained educators in classrooms, City Year develops corps members with a unique skill set that makes them ideal candidates for teaching. Through nearly 1,000 hours of direct classroom experience, extensive training in instructional techniques, and weekly meetings with partner teachers and principals to support lesson planning, they gain an invaluable foundation.
Unlike traditional alternative certification programs that offer limited hands-on experience, this initiative provides corps members with extensive time in classrooms before they take on full-time teaching roles. This ensures they enter the profession with the confidence and skills necessary to succeed.
“In-classroom experience, coupled with coaching from teachers, school administrators, and City Year Dallas staff, is crucial for building the skills and confidence that educators need to succeed,” said Tiarra L. Thomas, Managing Director of Development at City Year Dallas. “It’s the hands-on learning, combined with ongoing support, that truly shapes an educator’s ability to connect with students and make a lasting impact in the classroom.”
This hands-on experience, supported by guidance from mentor teachers, results in exceptional outcomes: nationally, 86% of City Year corps members remain in the profession for three or more years, significantly surpassing the national average for teachers which is below 50%.
Investing in Future Educators
Uplift Education has partnered with City Year for two years, and this year marks the first formalized effort to transition its corps members into full-time teaching roles. Among the five selected corps members, three have chosen to teach in critical shortage areas such as secondary math and science, while one will focus on early childhood education.
“This initiative strengthens our commitment to cultivating long-term educational leaders who are dedicated to the success of our students,” says Tori Allmendinger, Director of Talent Pipelines & Partnerships at Uplift Education. “With the deep investment our corps members make in Uplift campuses, they are not only more likely to remain within our network but also transition seamlessly into teaching roles.”
Many City Year corps members are drawn to teaching due to their passion for education but often face significant financial barriers when it comes to certification. The cost of traditional teacher certification programs can be a major obstacle, preventing many from pursuing their goals of becoming educators. This initiative seeks to eliminate that barrier by covering the cost of alternative certification, offering a more accessible pathway to teaching.
Reagan Reyes, a second-year corps member serving as a Team Leader at Uplift Hampton, grew up in the Dallas area. Reyes always enjoyed the challenge of her science classes; however, she hadn’t considered teaching as a career until this year.
“After witnessing the challenges of teacher shortages and high turnover, I realized I wanted to transition from City Year into the classroom as a full-time teacher,” says Reyes. “I’m motivated to help students receive the same educational opportunities that I had.”
Her passion for teaching is now a reality, but this career path couldn’t have been fulfilled without the scholarship. She notes that, without this financial support, pursuing certification would have been a significant hurdle, and she likely wouldn’t have considered teaching due to the out-of-pocket expenses.
Her passion for teaching is now a reality, but this career path couldn’t have been fulfilled without the $5,000 scholarship. She notes that, without this financial support, pursuing certification would have been a significant hurdle, and she likely wouldn’t have considered teaching due to the out-of-pocket expenses.
“I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity because it shows that people are willing to invest in teachers and students, which makes all the difference in the world. This scholarship not only supports my growth as an educator but also reinforces the belief that education is a powerful tool for creating change,” says Reyes.
Nationally, nearly 48% of City Year alumni teachers choose to teach in the districts where they served, a testament to the deep connections they form with the communities and schools they support. For Reyes, this commitment resonates strongly.
“I want to stay at Uplift because I believe we should grow where we’re planted. The relationships I’ve built with the administration and my colleagues—dedicated, family-oriented people—have been incredibly meaningful,” says Reyes.
Building a More Sustainable Education System
The Dallas Foundation has long been a champion of education in Dallas, recognizing that access to quality instruction at every stage of learning is essential to the success of individuals and the broader community. Through its strategic grantmaking, the Foundation has played a critical role in supporting initiatives that strengthen the educator pipeline, including City Year and Uplift Education’s alternative teacher certification pathway to address the teacher shortage in Dallas. By teaming up with Lyda Hill Philanthropies to provide grant funding for this initiative, The Dallas Foundation helps ensure that aspiring educators have the financial support and training necessary to enter the classroom well-prepared to make a lasting impact.
“Research consistently shows that a strong educational foundation in the early years leads to greater academic achievement and long-term success,” said Vickie Allen, Chief Impact Officer at The Dallas Foundation. “By investing in educators, we are investing in the long-term success of Dallas students.”
By supporting initiatives like City Year and Uplift’s teacher certification pathway, The Dallas Foundation is creating a more sustainable and effective education system—one that not only prepares teachers for today’s classrooms but also strengthens the continuum of learning from early childhood through K-12 and beyond.
Setting a New Standard for Teacher Preparation
Building on the success of their partnership, City Year Dallas and Uplift Education aim to refine and expand this initiative, potentially creating a structured residency model that provides even greater support to address the teacher shortage in Dallas. By prioritizing classroom experience, mentorship, and financial accessibility, they are setting a new standard for how teacher pipelines should be developed.
By removing barriers to certification and providing structured pathways for aspiring educators, Lyda Hill Philanthropies and The Dallas Foundation are ensuring that students receive the instruction they deserve—now and in the future.
For more information on how you can support this initiative, please reach out to your fund steward. If you don’t currently have a fund with The Dallas Foundation, our Philanthropic Partnerships team would be happy to explore ways you can make an impact in addressing critical community needs.
