Teach For America Oklahoma City

It may be summer but we are already preparing for the first day of school. Join us in welcoming more of our 2026 corps members to Oklahoma City ➡️

Throughout this month, we will be introducing a few of our 2026 corps members. Join us in welcoming our newest leaders, who are shaping the future 👋

Last week, 40+ attendees gathered for our latest EduTalk, focused on community support around Oklahoma City Public Schools’ goals and guardrails. Special thanks to Alisha Suffield - OKCPS Chief Academic Officer, Paula Lewis - OKCPS School Board Chair, and Lori Bowman - OKCPS School Board Vice Chair for presenting the district’s vision and implementation strategy and to Lauren Yount (OKC ‘15) and Jamie Gibbons (Greater New Orleans ‘12) for sharing the progress they are leading in our schools.

Together, we explored what conditions must be true for these goals to succeed and committed to the shared responsibility schools, families, organizations, and the broader community have in supporting student success.

As a result, attendees shared:
⭐ 100% said they would attend a future Edutalk
⭐ 91% experienced greater clarity on the OKCPS goals and guardrails
⭐ 82% said the conversation deepened their understanding of the conditions needed for success
⭐ 82% learned something new from someone they would not have interacted with outside of EduTalk

From educators, district and school leaders, elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and more - thank you to everyone who joined! Together, we can all contribute to student success in OKC.

Ready to get involved? Here are three ways you can support:
📚 Create a literacy rich environment for the students in your life
👏 Champion early childhood education and pre-K enrollment
🏫 Make a plan to volunteer in our community’s schools this fall

There is so much to celebrate during this time of the school year! Join us in celebrating our Oklahoma City corps members as they complete their first year in our classrooms. 👏

Last week, our 2025 corps members enjoyed a dinner together, alongside some members of our alumni community who have supported their development throughout the year. Together, our corps members have impacted over 500 students, across 3 districts in Oklahoma City.

Wishing all our educators and students a wonderful end to their school year together!

Setting goals centered on improving academic outcomes for students, particularly in literacy and math, helps students receive an education that can unlock opportunities throughout their lifetime. Community support, engagement, and advocacy is vital to the success of these goals.

Join us for EduTalk, a facilitated discussion centering on what conditions must be true in our schools, system, and community to achieve these goals, learn more about opportunities available for our community to contribute, and ways we can partner to support Oklahoma City’s largest public school district, Oklahoma City Public Schools.

RSVP today to save your seat!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffO-yGwg-7Yj5YObBQoY1Cz5IpzUlGcecwnIaox6i6K-miPA/viewform?usp=dialog

This , we celebrate the educators in our network and beyond, for their leadership, vision, and belief in what students can become.

Across Oklahoma City, 40,000 students are impacted by our network. Thank you, teachers, for showing up each day for your students. Your impact is far greater than your classroom.

Earlier this week, nearly 50 alumni and community members joined us for a screening of Counted Out, sparking an inspiring conversation about the power of math education. Throughout the evening, there was an energizing sense of momentum to bring insights back to attendee's classrooms, schools and communities and continue to work in partnership in service of our students.

Special thanks to Abbey Vensel (Greater Tulsa ‘18) of the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance, for leading a thoughtful discussion and sharing resources with attendees, and to Rodeo Cinema for hosting us and creating a space for conversation, connection, and reflection.

You’re invited to join us for a special screening of Counted Out, a documentary making the case that math education is deeply connected to economic opportunity, everyday problem-solving, and preparing students to be our leaders of the future

According to The Nation’s Report Card, in 2024 only 31% of 4th graders and 17% of 8th graders in Oklahoma were performing at or above grade level in math. These numbers reflect a broader challenge: students who struggle with math often face limited opportunities later in life.

Even in today’s world of calculators and artificial intelligence, student math skills and positive community mindsets toward math remain essential.

Join us at Rodeo Cinema on Tuesday, April 28th from 6:30 to 8:30 PM for a special screening and community conversation.

Reserve your complimentary ticket here: bit.ly/okccountedout

Our 4th Oklahoma Statewide Gathering brought together more than 230 members of our network to experience connection, inspiration and alignment toward our 2030 goal of doubling academic outcomes for Oklahoma’s students.

Oklahoma Secretary of Education Dr. Daniel Hamlin, joined Ashley Harris Philippsen (Houston ‘07) and Sarah Park (Hawaii ‘08) for our keynote panel, ahead of breakout sessions featuring proof-point examples from best practices in education. With topics spanning high dosage tutoring, literacy, AI, and more, as a result of the day’s learning:

🌟98% of attendees responded favorably to being inspired by our potential for collective impact
🏫 93% of attendees responded favorably that they learned something that will strengthen their efforts toward educational excellence
🤝450+ ‘yes’ responses to commitments to continue engaging in collective action

Special thanks to our event sponsors: The Chickasaw Nation, First United Bank, and Tinker Federal Credit Union for their support; to Bricktown Brewery for hosting our Welcome Reception; and to all who joined us. Together, we will ensure all students in Oklahoma have access to an excellent education.

Last week, we hosted community members, Teach For America alumni, and Oklahoma City Public Schools board candidates Vernona Dismuke (District 5), Galilea Martinez (District 7) and Natalie Roman (District 7) for a round table discussion about their vision for the future of the district ahead of the election in April.

Participants shared what is important to them including:
🤝 The desire to deepen partnerships between families and schools
🏫 Opportunities to better support all students
🍎 The importance of expanding training and development for teachers

Conversations like these, that center on community insights to inform plans and school board decision-making are inspiring. We’re grateful to the attendees and candidates who engaged with care, openness, and a deep belief in what’s possible for our students.