Nationwide, 11 percent of the students graduating from Ivy League schools applied to the program and, locally, 5 percent of the Johns Hopkins University and 6 percent of Loyola College spring graduates applied, according to data released last week by Teach for America. While a poor economy might have contributed to the 45 percent increase in applications, the program's spokeswoman, Kay Anuluoha, said many of the new teachers are joining because of a growing interest in public service.
Kyle B. Ali graduated from the University of Missouri this month and would like to run for political office some day, but he said he decided that he should find out firsthand about the issues facing urban schools.
"If I really wanted to go into a public office, I needed to get down on the front lines and experience some of the issues I was talking about," he said.
The 23-year-old, who grew up near Chicago, will be teaching social studies in a Baltimore high school by August, but in the meantime he will spend five weeks in teacher training in Philadelphia.
Ali said he hopes to stay in education after his two-year commitment, some day rising to become a principal or superintendent.
His biggest concern about the coming year, he said, is not becoming discouraged. "I am going to have to embrace the small successes," he said.
The program has received some criticism nationally for placing smart college graduates, who might be using Teach for America as a stopover before entering another career, into low-income urban schools where students might do better with seasoned professionals.
Research over the years has shown that students with first-year teachers do not learn as much.
However, a 2008 Urban Institute study found that Teach for America members were, on average, more effective than regular teachers, even those who were more experienced. A recent follow-up to the study this year confirmed the findings in a larger sample of teachers.
Baltimore school data showed, Alonso said, that middle and high school students taught by Teach for America participants outperformed the students in the rest of the district even though the program's teachers were assigned to schools with the neediest students.
And here in the city, more of those members seem to be staying. About 650 to 700 teachers have been placed in the city in the 17 years since the program was started here. Of those, about 360 are still in Baltimore and 72 percent are still working or studying in education, Todd said. Twelve are principals.
