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Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has welcomed over 100 high school seniors into its Teach Chicago Tomorrow (TCT) program, which aims to cultivate future educators and enhance the district's teaching talent pool. The Annual Signing Day ceremony took place on Wednesday night, marking a significant milestone for the participants who are set to pursue education degrees and secure teaching positions within CPS upon graduation.
"Chicago Public Schools graduates are some of this generation’s brightest minds, so who better to teach our students than someone who comes from our own District?" said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. "Teach Chicago Tomorrow is an innovative program that not only increases career opportunities for our graduates, it also brings that talent full circle back to the local community with a focus on service."
The TCT initiative collaborates with various colleges and universities, offering academic, financial, social, and career support through partner institutions like City Colleges of Chicago (Truman), Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Roosevelt University, and University of Illinois at Chicago.
Since its inception in 2021, more than 275 scholars have joined the program. Over 90 percent of these scholars identify as Black or Latinx; 66 percent come from low-income households; and nearly two-thirds are first-generation college students.
Ryan Harper from Morgan Park High School is among those celebrated. Inspired by her family of educators since childhood, she plans to attend Illinois State University this fall to earn her bachelor's degree in education with hopes of returning to CPS as a teacher. "I want to come back and teach at CPS because I really love the learning environment that the teachers created for me," Ryan said. "Teachers motivate students and inspire them to be the best."
In response to a nationwide teacher shortage affecting Black and Latinx communities in particular, CPS has invested in initiatives like Teach Chicago to build a diverse teaching force. Ben Felton, CPS’ Chief Talent Officer stated: "Rather than passively waiting and hoping for more teachers to hit the workforce, we are proactively building our own robust and diverse pool of talent."
These efforts have reversed a long-standing decline in Black teachers as many reach retirement age. For the current school year, CPS employs over 24,000 teachers—17% more than in 2018—with nearly half identifying as Black or Latinx.
To learn more about Teach Chicago Tomorrow, visit CPS' website.
