Nation’s leading teacher preparation program commemorates two decades of impact, innovation, and dedication to quality and diversity.

HOUSTON, Feb. 18th, 2025 – Teachers of Tomorrow (ToT), the nation’s leading teacher preparation program, is proudly celebrating two decades of empowering aspiring educators and shaping the future of classrooms across the country.

Since its founding, ToT has helped over 85,000 passionate individuals obtain their teaching certifications, many of whom have gone on to earn prestigious awards, such as three recent “Texas Teacher of the Year” recipients. These educators embody ToT’s mission: to inspire, educate, and transform lives.

“Teaching is truly the ‘Role of a Lifetime,’ and the impact of a single educator is immeasurable,” said Dr. Heath Morrison, CEO of Teachers of Tomorrow and a former teacher and superintendent. “On average, a teacher influences over 3,000 students throughout their career, which means our graduates have already touched millions of lives. That’s millions of reasons to celebrate!”

Peter Yorke, a ToT graduate and the program’s 2024 Texas Teacher of the Year, shares, “I find great inspiration in each of my students’ individuality and the level of energy they bring to class. I intend to use the scholarship fund to expand the learning environment and experience, create more accessible ways of delivering a complete, rigorous education, and empower students’ confidence and morale.”

Commitment to Excellence in Teacher Preparation

Teachers of Tomorrow has earned the distinction of being fully accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) in Texas and Indiana, as well as accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). This ensures that its programs meet rigorous quality standards. ToT’s commitment to excellence is further reflected in its near-perfect scores in a recent state-appointed Texas State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) review. “These results reflect our commitment to quality and the preparation of educators who are ready to inspire the next generation,” said Dr. Morrison.

The organization’s online curriculum is designed to meet state certification requirements and is led by certified instructors with extensive classroom experience, ensuring a high-quality learning experience. The curriculum aligns with both state and national standards, including Quality Matters, InTASC, and ISTE standards, and undergoes regular reviews to ensure it remains relevant and evidence based.

Increasing Access to Teaching

Teachers of Tomorrow takes great pride in expanding the pool of new teacher candidates, by giving access to quality training for thousands of aspiring educators from a diverse set of backgrounds, demographics, and industries. With an ever-increasing shortage of new teachers entering the field through traditional college degrees, ToT fills an important gap by creating a viable pathway tailored for career changers. With an online asynchronous curriculum, flexible pricing options, discounts, district partnerships, and scholarships, their program aims to make the transition to teaching as seamless as possible.  The program also prioritizes recruiting educators for high-demand fields like special education and STEM, where the need for certified educators is greatest. 

Looking Ahead

As ToT celebrates its 20th anniversary, Dr. Morrison reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to strengthening teacher pipelines and addressing the national teacher shortage. “There’s no greater challenge in education today than ensuring every student has a highly qualified teacher. Alternative certification programs like ToT are instrumental in attracting and preparing new educators. Last year alone, more than half of new teachers in Texas entered the classroom uncertified — a crisis that directly impacts student learning and teacher retention. We’re working hand-in-hand with school districts to change that.”

Looking to the future, the program is dedicated to continuing its mission of building a highly qualified and diverse teaching workforce, driven by the passion and commitment of both educators and students.

Teachers of Tomorrow currently offers certification in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas. Building on their success in these states, ToT expects to continue expanding to other states that are also grappling with teacher shortages.

About Teachers of Tomorrow

At Teachers of Tomorrow, we are deeply committed to creating a tangible social impact in education. As a portfolio company of The Rise Fund, a global impact investment fund focused on driving positive social and environmental change, we actively seek opportunities to give back and foster lasting progress. Teachers of Tomorrow’s Texas program is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). ToT has prepared over 85,000 certified teachers nationwide and is the largest Educator Preparation Program (EPP) in Texas. More at www.teachersoftomorrow.org.

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What does this mean for your teaching journey? Are you curious about diving deeper into these specializations? You’re in the right spot! Browse through this blog post for all the insights. Ready to take your teaching career to new heights? Let’s journey through this exclusive opportunity together!”

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Early Childhood Certification 

In South Carolina, the Early Childhood Certification is a specialized teaching credential for educators aiming to instruct children from birth through age eight or third grade. This certification emphasizes developmentally appropriate teaching methodologies tailored for young learners, covering foundational skills like basic literacy, numeracy, and social development. 

To acquire this certification, educators typically complete a state-approved preparation program in early childhood education, such as Teachers of Tomorrow, pass relevant state examinations, and meet any other state-specific criteria established by the South Carolina Department of Education.

Eligibility:

Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

Complete an approved educator program for early childhood education, such as Teachers of Tomorrow. 

Testing Requirements:

As of the last update, candidates for Early Childhood Certification might need to pass the Praxis II: Early Childhood Content Knowledge test and the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) for the relevant grade level.

Application Process:

• Submit an application for certification to the South Carolina Department of Education.
• Provide official transcripts showing proof of your bachelor’s degree and the completion of a state-approved educator preparation program like Teachers of Tomorrow 
• Submit passing scores from required tests.
• Provide proof of any out-of-state teaching certifications (if applicable).
• Submit background and fingerprint checks as required by the state.

Maintaining and Advancing Your Certification:

Initial certification in South Carolina is valid for three years. Afterward, educators can apply for the Professional Certificate, which is renewable every five years.

Continuous professional development is essential. South Carolina educators must meet specific renewal credit requirements to renew their professional certificates. 

Multi-Categorical Exceptional Status Certification 

The Multi-Categorical Exceptional Status certification is a specialized teaching credential for educators who work with students exhibiting a range of exceptionalities. Instead of focusing on one specific area of special education, this certification equips teachers to address multiple types of exceptionalities.

“Exceptionalities” in this context can refer to various special needs or conditions that might impact a student’s learning. This could encompass students with learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, mild intellectual disabilities, and even those gifted and talented.

In essence, a teacher with a Multi-Categorical Exceptional Status certification is trained and qualified to cater to the diverse needs of students within a special education setting without being limited to one specific category of exceptionality. The exact requirements and curriculum for obtaining this certification can vary by state, but it generally involves specialized coursework, hands-on teaching experience, and, often, passing relevant examinations.

Eligibility:

Education: 

Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

Training: Completing a state-approved educator preparation program specific to multi-categorical exceptional education such as Teachers of tomorrow. 

Testing Requirements:

 South Carolina often requires candidates to pass content area exams, which would, in this case, be related to multi-categorical special education. These exams assess an educator’s knowledge and skills in the specific area of certification.

The Praxis series of exams is commonly used in many states. Check for specific test codes or names associated with multi-categorical exceptional status in South Carolina.

Application Process:

Application Submission: Submit an application for certification to the South Carolina Department of Education.

Documentation: Provide official transcripts showing proof of your bachelor’s degree and the completion of a state-approved educator preparation program such as Teachers of Tomorrow. This should show any coursework or practical experience related to multi-categorical exceptional education.

Test Scores:  Submit passing scores from the required tests.

Background Check: South Carolina, like many states, requires a background and fingerprint check for educators to ensure the safety of students.

Fees: Pay any associated application or processing fees.

Ongoing Requirements:

Depending on the certification’s duration, you may need to renew it after a certain number of years. Renewal often involves continuous professional development or additional coursework. 

Become a Certified South Carolina Teacher with Teachers of Tomorrow 

Get certified to teach with South Carolina Teachers of Tomorrow. Our dedication to helping people start their new teaching careers has made us the nation’s most trusted and effective educator preparation program.

Enroll Today: Begin by applying for free today. Our Program Advisors work with you to develop a personalized strategy to become a certified teacher.

Become Eligible: Complete your testing and training in any order, at your own pace. Our study resources help you prepare for testing, and our innovative online training prepares you for the classroom.

Start Teaching: You will lead your classroom as a full-time teacher during this first year. Your Field Supervisor and on-campus mentor will provide support and answer questions. 

Fully Certified: upon successful completion of all program requirements

More Opportunity for South Carolina Teachers Than Ever Before!

As our list of certification areas grows, candidates now have more options to discover an area that best aligns with their skills and abilities. Offering more certification areas makes our program accessible to a more significant number of prospective teachers. We are thrilled to be able to offer our innovative program to even more candidates!

With more options than ever before, it’s an ideal time to become a teacher!

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The post Teachers of Tomorrow Offers Two New Subject Certifications for South Carolina Teachers: Early Childhood Certification & Multi-Categorical Exceptional Status. appeared first on Teachers of Tomorrow.

Teachers of Tomorrow Partners with Littera

Online Tutoring Opportunities Now Available!

As part of our broader mission to enhance student education, Teachers of Tomorrow has always been dedicated to ensuring every student has a great teacher. And having helped more than 70,000 teachers reach the classroom, we are exceptionally proud to announce the latest professional development opportunity and partnership to benefit our Teachers of Tomorrow network and the students they nurture! In an effort to further support districts and their students, the nation’s leading alternative teacher certification provider has partnered with Littera, a comprehensive and cost-effective tutoring platform for school districts of all sizes, to provide valuable professional development and experience through remote tutoring opportunities to Teachers of Tomorrow Alumni during this upcoming school year.

About Littera

Littera’s mission to enable equitable, high-quality, and cost-effective academic support for school districts of all sizes stems from a simple but powerful idea: all students deserve high-quality tutoring support to help them achieve their academic potential. Littera has upheld that idea since rising to the challenge of long-standing educational support issues exacerbated by COVID-19 after it was founded in 2020. For Teachers of Tomorrow, the dedication Littera lends to assisting students in achieving their potential in the classroom is complementary to our own values. With a platform that is engaging, easy to use for tutors, and displays district curricula and resources at your fingertips, the decision to partner with Littera was an easy one!

How It Works

Together, Littera and Teachers of Tomorrow will connect certified alumni with flexible, remote tutoring opportunities suited to your experience level, scheduling needs, and subject area preference. As a Littera tutor, you will work with assigned students in either reading, math, or both after determining student needs through initial assessment. And all tutoring will be virtual with sessions ranging from a tutor to student ratio of 1:1 – 1:4 based on tutor experience level and seniority with Littera.

Who Is Eligible

A few of the desired qualifications for the position include instructing students and managing behavior, experience working with students in grades K-5, and general knowledge of curriculum and instruction. If you possess these qualifications, we highly encourage you to consider a tutoring position with Littera so you can enjoy the benefits of helping students reach their potential. With that in mind, this offer is still exclusive to the Teachers of Tomorrow network. So, you must be certified through or connected to Teachers of Tomorrow as an alumnus to qualify. 

A Few Benefits of Tutoring With Littera Include:

Flexible Schedule

Aside from being paid to help students achieve their potential, Littera tutors enjoy the benefits of a customizable schedule. Your work schedule should work for you, so you will be able to change your availability as needed. With that in mind, all tutors must still keep availability up to date. With sessions available during the school day or after school hours, you will have plenty of control over your new, flexible work schedule.

Student Impact

Making an impact in students’ lives can be as big as inspiring them to become future Pulitzer Prize winners or as small as that first “Aha” moment. But, regardless of the size of the achievement, every moment spent helping your students accomplish their goals will hold significance for them. Moreover, it is not uncommon for students to leave lasting and sometimes profound impressions on those who teach them.

Valuable Experience

All Littera tutors have access to professional development opportunities and training to grow their tutoring skills. Littera has also partnered with Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) to allow tutors the chance to be trained in their K-6 Literacy Tutoring Program! And last but not least, you will continue to grow as an educator and tutor through all of the hands-on experience you will receive from teaching your students each week.

[Learn More]

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Ridgemont Equity Partners Joins Forces with The Rise Fund 

Digital Career Platform for Educators to Help Address Nationwide Teacher Shortage

CHARLOTTE, NC & SAN FRANCISCO & FORT WORTH, TX & HOUSTON (October 13, 2021) – Ridgemont Equity Partners, a buyout and growth equity investor, today announced a significant minority investment alongside The Rise Fund, TPG’s multi-sector global impact investing strategy, to facilitate the acquisition of Teachers of Tomorrow (“ToT” or the “Company”). The Rise Fund announced a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in ToT in early September and subsequently joined forces with Ridgemont Equity Partners, a value-added growth partner for the Company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Teachers of Tomorrow leverages technology to provide training, certification, and placement services for aspiring teachers, along with professional development resources to support teachers’ careers. As the nation’s largest teacher alternative certification program, ToT is uniquely positioned to offer the most focused professional development and test-prep offerings for teachers and school districts across the country. The Company also works closely with candidates, districts, talent acquisition teams, and principals to ensure the best possible talent is placed in the classroom.

“We have experienced incredible growth over the past several years and now have a presence in nine states in our core alternative certification business. We have greatly benefitted from our unique position as a scaled nationwide provider of professional development and test prep resources for educators across thousands of districts,” said Phillip Braithwaite, CEO of Teachers of Tomorrow. “The Rise Fund, Ridgemont, and our team at ToT are all aligned in our vision to create the most rewarding pathway for prospective teachers to enter the profession and the broadest platform for educators to access community and professional development resources. As school districts nationwide struggle to hire and retain teachers, we leverage technology to provide a unique avenue for talented, diverse, and highly-qualified candidates to enter the teaching profession and succeed in their careers.”

“We are excited to partner with The Rise Fund to invest in Teachers of Tomorrow,” said Charles Anderson, Partner at Ridgemont. “We have closely followed the Company for over a year and believe that ToT, under CEO Phillip Braithwaite’s leadership, has tremendous opportunity for growth as a leading provider of teacher training, certification, and professional development. Teachers of Tomorrow represents Ridgemont’s third platform investment in tech-enabled human capital solutions, all with shared investment themes of leveraging content, digital strategies, and consolidation to meet vocational training, hiring, and educational needs, while driving strong investment returns. We look forward to the next chapter of growth for Teachers of Tomorrow and continuing to address the acute teacher shortage across the country.”

“The number of teaching candidates is declining, driven by the high cost and time commitment associated with traditional channels, and further exacerbated by COVID,” said John Rogers, Partner and Education Sector Lead at The Rise Fund. “Out of these conditions, alternative certification has steadily grown as the pathway of choice for filling this shortage in many states due to lower costs and a more efficient training format. Through quality instruction and support, Teachers of Tomorrow is providing an opportunity for skilled professionals to make the transition to teaching, which in turn makes a meaningful difference in the lives of their students. Together with the teams at ToT and Ridgemont, we are eager to support the Company as it scales to meet these critical hiring needs.”

Houlihan Lokey Capital, Inc., and Alston & Bird LLP served as financial and legal advisor to Ridgemont, respectively.

About Teachers of Tomorrow
Teachers of Tomorrow has been the nation’s most comprehensive provider of teacher services since 2005. Committed to helping educators excel in the classroom and beyond, Teachers of Tomorrow provides holistic support across the entire lifecycle of the teacher. To provide teachers with the requisite skills to successfully enter – and stay – in the teaching profession, Teachers of Tomorrow provides accredited pre-certification training, research-based test preparation, and ongoing professional development.

www.TeachersofTomorrow.org

About The Rise Funds
The Rise Funds are a core pillar of TPG Rise, TPG’s global impact investing platform. Founded in 2016 by TPG in partnership with Bono and Jeff Skoll, The Rise Funds invest behind impact entrepreneurs and growth-stage, high potential, mission-driven companies that are focused on achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The Rise Funds deliver capabilities and expertise across a wide variety of sectors and countries at scale, focusing on opportunities in climate and conservation, education, food and agriculture, financial technology, healthcare, and technology.

With more than $11 billion in assets across The Rise Funds, TPG Rise Climate, and Evercare Health Fund, the TPG Rise platform is the world’s largest private markets impact investing platform committed to achieving measurable, positive social and environmental outcomes alongside competitive financial returns.

 www.therisefund.com 

About Ridgemont Equity Partners
Ridgemont Equity Partners is a Charlotte-based middle market buyout and growth equity investor. Since 1993, the principals of Ridgemont have invested over $5.5 billion. The firm focuses on equity investments up to $250 million and utilizes a proven, industry-focused investment approach and repeatable value creation strategies. Ridgemont’s most recent flagship fund, REP III, was formed in 2018 and has $1.65 billion of committed capital.

www.ridgemontep.com

Media Contact (Teachers of Tomorrow):
Jeffrey Mysak
877-888-2640
Jeff.Mysak@teachersoftomorrow.org

Media Contact (TPG/The Rise Fund):
Ari Cohen
415-743-1550
media@tpg.com

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The Rise Fund Makes Majority Investment in Teachers of Tomorrow to Support Growth of Critical Educator Training Programs

San Francisco, CA, Fort Worth, TX and Houston, TX, —September 2, 2021— The Rise Fund, TPG’s multi-sector global impact investing strategy, today announced that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Teachers of Tomorrow, the nation’s largest teacher alternative certification program (“ACP”) which provides training, certification, and placement services for aspiring teachers, from Gauge Capital. The Rise Fund’s acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory clearances and is expected to be completed by the end of September. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“I am excited to have The Rise Fund’s support to build the nation’s leading provider of alternative teacher certification, professional development and teacher exam preparation,” said Phillip Braithwaite, CEO of Teachers of Tomorrow. “We have a proven platform that serves teachers and school districts and, in partnership with The Rise Fund, we are excited to build the premier educator ecosystem for teachers and schools across the U.S.”

“Teachers of Tomorrow is a natural fit for The Rise Fund’s mission to drive measurable social impact at scale,” said Steve Ellis, Co-Managing Partner of The Rise Fund. “We are excited to back Phillip’s vision to accelerate growth both geographically and across product lines to provide training and support throughout the entire lifecycle of a teacher’s career.”

Every state in the U.S. faces a severe shortage of teachers. The number of teaching candidates is declining, driven by the high cost and time commitment associated with traditional channels. Perennially high turnover in the profession has been exacerbated by COVID, with a record level of nationwide job openings for teachers. Out of these conditions, alternative certification has steadily grown as the pathway of choice for filling this shortage in many states due to lower costs and a more efficient training format. Teachers that come through the ACP channel are also more likely to be diverse, to teach in areas with the highest needs, and to be in mid-career job changes and therefore more likely to remain in the profession longer. “We have enjoyed our partnership with Teachers of Tomorrow and are pleased with the increased impact the Company has had on the markets we serve. We selected The Rise Fund as the right future partner of the business based on their combination of education experience and overall mission,” said Tom McKelvey, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Gauge Capital.

“Digitally enabled certification and training is a core investment theme for The Rise Fund. We spent over a year getting to know the team at Teachers of Tomorrow,” said John Rogers, Partner and Education Sector Lead at The Rise Fund. “And school district customers overwhelmingly told us they would hire even more candidates from Teachers of Tomorrow if the company could scale to meet their critical hiring needs. Teachers of Tomorrow provides STEM, bilingual and career and technical certifications at all grade levels. They train 29% more teachers of color than the general population of teachers and the teachers they certify stay in the teaching profession at higher rates than national averages.”

Teachers of Tomorrow has expanded from one state to nine states over the past five years with plans to continue its market expansion. Through quality instruction and support, Teachers of Tomorrow provides the opportunity for skilled professionals to make the transition to teaching, which in turn makes a meaningful difference in the lives of their students. In addition to their curriculum, Teachers of Tomorrow offers advisory services throughout the entire certification process while preparing
candidates to meet the specific requirements in their respective states. The company also works closely with candidates, school districts, talent acquisition teams, and principals to ensure the best possible talent is placed in the classroom.

Teachers of Tomorrow is uniquely positioned to offer the most focused professional development and test-prep offerings for teachers and districts across the country.

The investment in Teachers of Tomorrow further adds to The Rise Funds’ extensive education portfolio, which includes a number of companies that seek to expand access to quality education. Other portfolio companies across The Rise Funds include DreamBox Learning, the nation’s premier provider of adaptive instructional software for math and literacy; Renaissance Learning, a market-leading education technology company currently providing assessments used by almost one-third of K-12 schools across the country; EverFi, a pioneer in community engagement across K-12, higher education and the workforce; and InStride, the premier global provider of strategic enterprise education programs bringing affordable, flexible and accredited educational programs from leading academic institutions to working adults in the workplace.

Gauge Capital was advised by RW Baird and Ropes & Gray LLP. The Rise Funds was advised by Kirkland & Ellis LLP.
-END-

About Teachers of Tomorrow
Teachers of Tomorrow has been the nation’s most comprehensive provider of teacher services since 2005. Committed to helping educators excel in the classroom and beyond, Teachers of Tomorrow provides holistic support across the entire lifecycle of the teacher. To provide teachers with the requisite skills to successfully enter – and stay – in the teaching profession, Teachers of Tomorrow provides accredited pre-certification training, research-based test preparation, and ongoing professional development.

About Gauge Capital
Gauge Capital is a leading middle-market private equity firm based in Southlake, Texas. Gauge invests in five key sectors: healthcare services, technology, business services, government & industrial services, and food & consumer. The firm manages approximately $2.0 billion and in 2020, Inc. Magazine named Gauge one of the top 50 private equity firms for founders.

About The Rise Funds
The Rise Funds are a core pillar of TPG Rise, TPG’s global impact investing platform. Founded in 2016 by TPG in partnership with Bono and Jeff Skoll, The Rise Funds invest behind impact entrepreneurs and growth-stage, high potential, mission-driven companies that are focused on achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The Rise Funds deliver capabilities and expertise across a wide variety of sectors and countries at scale, focusing on opportunities in climate and conservation, education, food and agriculture, financial technology, healthcare, and technology.

With more than $11 billion in assets across The Rise Funds, TPG Rise Climate, and Evercare Health Fund, the TPG Rise platform is the world’s largest private markets impact investing platform committed to achieving measurable, positive social and environmental outcomes alongside competitive financial returns.

Media Contact (Teachers of Tomorrow):
Jeffrey Mysak
877-888-2640
Jeff.Mysak@teachersoftomorrow.org

Media Contact (TPG/The Rise Fund):
Ari Cohen
415-743-1550
media@tpg.com

Business Development Contact (Gauge Capital)
Andrew Peix
682-334-5800
apeix@gaugecapital.com

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HOUSTON, TX., Feb. 18, 2021. Teachers of Tomorrow, the nation’s leading alternative teacher certification provider, announced that it has acquired The Learning Liaisons, a top-performing platform that delivers teacher exam preparation through interactive video courses and workshops.

“The acquisition of The Learning Liaisons advances our agenda to provide more holistic support for teachers across the nation,” said Phillip Braithwaite, CEO of Teachers of Tomorrow. As the Company continues to build its portfolio of teacher services, he added, “we are committed to helping teachers successfully enter the education workforce, and providing quality test preparation is essential to achieve our goal.”

The level of dedication The Learning Liaisons offers to teachers strongly aligns with Teachers of Tomorrow’s core values. “The distinguishing factor about what we do at The Learning Liaisons is that we provide teachers with what they deserve – support,” said Dr. Jason Ampel, CEO and Founder of The Learning Liaisons.

As The Learning Liaisons joins Teachers of Tomorrow, teachers across the nation can expect a broader selection of preparation for certification exams – all available through Teachers of Tomorrow.

About The Learning Liaisons

The Learning Liaisons was founded in 2014 and provides teachers the knowledge, skill, and attitude they deserve to pass their state teacher and leader certification exams through interactive video courses and workshops. The Company employs highly-qualified individuals to help teachers understand and apply concepts to scenarios to successfully pass exams. Nearly 8,000 teachers have found success working with The Learning Liaisons.

About Teachers of Tomorrow

Teachers of Tomorrow is a Portfolio Company of Gauge Capital. The Company’s program addresses the growing teacher shortage by enabling non-traditional candidates with undergraduate degrees to attain certification. Teachers of Tomorrow’s mission is to develop confident educators who believe in the potential of every student and has helped more than 70,000 teachers reach the classroom.

About Gauge Capital

Gauge Capital is a private equity firm that partners with founders, managers, and equity stakeholders of successful middle-market companies to maximize their potential. Gauge focuses on investing in growing services and technology-enabled companies in the healthcare, business, and consumer sectors. Gauge was named to Inc Magazine’s 2020 Top 50 Founder-Friendly Private Equity firms, a list that showcases 50 firms that have had the most success supporting founder-led companies. For more information, contact Andrew Peix, Principal and Director of Business Development at apeix@gaugecapital.com.

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HOUSTON, TX., Feb. 11, 2021. Teachers of Tomorrow, the nation’s leading alternative teacher certification provider, was recently awarded full seven-year accreditation by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) for their Texas teacher certification program.

National accreditation assures the quality of professional preparation programs through a nongovernmental, nonregulatory process of self-study and peer review. The AAQEP accreditation Commission reviewed evidence collected and offered the following rationale:

The [Teachers of Tomorrow] program presented compelling evidence that it meets all AAQEP standards. The evidence showed that program completers are prepared to work effectively as professional educators and that they are able to adapt to different contexts and to grow professionally. Program capacity to analyze and provide evidence for sustained actions and revisions on behalf of candidates was evident and meets AAQEP standards. The program engages with stakeholders and partners to strengthen the P-20 education system across Texas.

“Congratulations to Teachers of Tomorrow and to all of the instructors, staff, and stakeholders across Texas for achieving their goal of national accreditation by AAQEP,” said AAQEP President and CEO Mark LaCelle-Peterson. “The program clearly documented its broad outreach to prospective teachers and its capacity to meet workforce needs and increase the diversity of the Texas education workforce.”

“At Teachers of Tomorrow, we provide our candidates with researched-based, engaging preparation, designed to foster well-qualified educators,” said Phillip Braithwaite, CEO for Teachers of Tomorrow. “This extraordinary recognition speaks to the caliber of our program and demonstrates our commitment to upholding quality standards and continually seeking opportunity for improvement.”

Teachers of Tomorrow now joins 135 educator preparation providers across 24 states and territories participating in the AAQEP accreditation system.

About Teachers of Tomorrow

Teachers of Tomorrow is a Portfolio Company of Gauge Capital. As the largest national alternative certification provider, the Company’s program addresses the growing teacher shortage by enabling non-traditional candidates with undergraduate degrees to attain certification. Teachers of Tomorrow’s mission is to develop confident educators who believe in the potential of every student and has helped more than 70,000 teachers reach the classroom.

About AAQEP

Founded in 2017, AAQEP is a membership association and quality assurance agency that provides accreditation services and formative support to all types of educator preparation providers. The organization promotes excellent, effective, and innovative educator preparation that is committed to evidence-based improvement in a collaborative professional environment. Visit aaqep.org for more information.

The post Texas Teachers of Tomorrow Earns National Accreditation of Alternative Certification Programs appeared first on Teachers of Tomorrow.

Teachers of Tomorrow Acquires Simple K12

HOUSTON, TX., Jan. 14, 2021. Teachers of Tomorrow, the nation’s leading alternative teacher certification provider, announced today that it has acquired SimpleK12, an award-winning professional development platform for educators. This move allows the companies to come together as the most comprehensive provider of teacher services in the United States.

“The acquisition of SimpleK12 is consistent with our broader vision to accelerate growth, expand geographically, and add scale to our platform,” said Phillip Braithwaite, Chief Executive Officer for Teachers of Tomorrow. “While it expands our services offered to teachers, it is, more importantly, a strong cultural fit and contributes to our mission to develop confident educators.”

Lisa Harding, President of SimpleK12, will remain with the business and continue leading professional development efforts. She added, “it was very important for us to find the right fit. We both have the same mission and are dedicated to creating better teachers.”

Together, Teachers of Tomorrow and SimpleK12 provides support across the entire teacher lifecycle, from pre-certification training to ongoing development in the classroom. Teachers of Tomorrow will continue to seek investments and partnerships that will extend the platform’s coverage of the educator ecosystem, providing more holistic support for teachers across the nation.

About SimpleK12

SimpleK12 provides premium professional-development content via a user-friendly, video-based platform. With over 1,500 different videos spanning 40 different categories, SimpleK12 reaches over 800,000 yearly. SimpleK12 was founded 35 years ago and has evolved from providing face-to-face technology training to now producing 100% digital content to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industry.

About Teachers of Tomorrow

Teachers of Tomorrow is a Portfolio Company of Gauge Capital. As the largest national alternative certification provider, the Company’s program addresses the growing teacher shortage by enabling non-traditional candidates with undergraduate degrees to attain certification. Teachers of Tomorrow’s mission is to develop confident educators who believe in the potential of every student and has helped more than 70,000 teachers reach the classroom.

About Gauge Capital

Gauge Capital is a private equity firm that partners with founders, managers, and equity stakeholders of successful middle market companies to maximize their potential. Gauge focuses on investing in growing services and technology-enabled companies in the healthcare, business, and consumer sectors. Gauge was named to Inc Magazine’s 2020 Top 50 Founder-Friendly Private Equity firms, a list that showcases 50 firms that have had the most success supporting founder-led companies. For more information, contact Andrew Peix, Principal and Director of Business Development at apeix@gaugecapital.com.

The post Teachers of Tomorrow Acquires Simple K12 appeared first on Teachers of Tomorrow.

The immediate need for the pilot program is to help those teachers on an emergency certificate move forward with the training to earn their Alabama Class B Professional Certificate. For the 2019-2020 school year, there were over 400 teachers on an emergency certificate in high-need subject areas who could benefit from this new approach.

Teachers of Tomorrow worked closely with the Alabama State Department of Education to ensure the pilot approach met all state teaching requirements and aligned with all state standards. The pilot is designed to last for three years, tracking data on teacher recruitment and quality.

“Nothing can replace the positive impact of a quality teacher in every classroom. Our goal is to make sure every student has an engaged and well-resourced teacher on day one,” Mackey said. “We are exploring innovative ways to make sure excellent teachers are available for deserving students. Creating new avenues into the teaching profession is part of the solution.” – Dr. Eric Mackey, Alabama State Superintendent

Alabama Teachers of Tomorrow officially launches on April 27, 2020 and will begin immediately recruiting teachers and working with teachers on emergency certificates. Those interested must still meet all requirements of Alabama teachers and must submit an application to be accepted into the program.

“Our focus has always been to help districts ensure they have the talent they need for their schools,” said Phillip Braithwaite, CEO of Teachers of Tomorrow. “We are honored to be a part of this new process for Alabama Teachers and begin helping more great people realize their dream of teaching in their own classroom.”

To quickly address the shortage, Teachers of Tomorrow offers candidates access to their first training module, after a one-time low payment of $245, allowing future teachers to get started immediately. TeachersOfTomorrow.org/Alabama has been launched to propel the careers of future Alabama teachers who are transitioning into the classroom from other career paths. The Alabama Teachers team of Advisors has been trained to help guide teacher candidates through the certification process, from start to finish. Alabama will begin taking applications in April and those interested in applying to become a certified teacher in Alabama should complete the information request form.

About Teachers of Tomorrow 

Teachers of Tomorrow is the largest, fastest growing teacher certification provider in the nation, delivering online training to individuals who want to pursue a career in teaching. Teachers of Tomorrow attracts career changers with an average age of 32 into teaching, so they can bring their real-world experiences into the classroom. Teachers of Tomorrow is the second most diverse certification provider in the country with 46% non-white enrollment; and 72% of Teachers of Tomorrow teachers remain in the profession after five years, significantly higher than the national average of only 50%. Over the last 15 years, Texas Teachers has certified more than 60,000 new teachers, and in 2019 the company trained and certified over 7,000 teachers. An independent study revealed that Teachers of Tomorrow graduates see student achievement results equal to teachers coming through university programs. Teachers of Tomorrow is an approved teacher certification provider in Texas, Florida, Nevada, Indiana, South Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, North Carolina and now Alabama.

The post New Teacher Certification Approved in Alabama to Address Critical Teacher Shortage appeared first on Teachers of Tomorrow.

There are more than 350,000 teachers in Texas and Jeff was selected through a lengthy process as the best teacher in the state. A panel of judges composed of representatives of Texas teacher associations and last year’s Texas Teacher of the Year finalists select the finalists from the 40 Texas Regional Teachers of the Year — one elementary and one secondary teacher from each of the 20 Texas Education Service Center regions. TASA then selects the Texas Teacher of the Year. In the past, Wheatcraft has been nominated twice for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

He will now compete with educators from across the country to be the National Teacher of the Year as selected by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Wheatcraft will participate in one-of-a-kind professional learning opportunities designed to hone communications skills, expand knowledge of education policy, and grow teaching and learning practices. The goal of this programming is to elevate the voices of teachers and ensure that teachers are leaders in state and national policy conversations. The National Teacher of the Year (NTOY) is chosen from the State Teachers of the Year by a national selection committee representing the major national education organizations. This spring, the National Teacher of the Year will be introduced to the American people by the U.S. President.

When asked about teaching, Wheatcraft said, “There has not been a day in my teaching career that I wake up and don’t want to go into school. I love working on lesson plans that create something unique and inspiring and then sitting back and thinking – I can’t wait to see what the students are going to do with this!”

Wheatcraft was working as a swing dance instructor, but he and his wife knew he needed a career path better suited for a new family. His wife realized that with such a passion for teaching and watching people learn as an instructor that he would be great in the classroom. They saw a billboard from Texas Teachers and they wrote down the number and called that day.  He joined the program that month and he started teaching that fall.

“We could not be prouder of Jeff and his accomplishments as a teacher,” said Vernon Reaser, CEO of Texas Teachers. “We had just launched in 2005 to attract great people like Jeff into the teaching profession. To see all that he has accomplished and how many lives he has positively impacted truly inspires all of us to do even more!”

Wheatcraft will have a very busy schedule for the next year as the Texas Teacher of the Year but will also make sure his students continue to make progress in middle school.

When asked why he thinks he is the Teacher of the Year, Wheatcraft stated, “My students are successful because I find out what they truly need – not what the state or the school says they need. I find out what each student truly needs to be successful and make sure they get that throughout the entire year.”

 For additional details about Jeff Wheatcraft -please visit Texas Teachers! 

About Teachers of Tomorrow (www.teachersoftomorrow.org)

A+ Texas Teachers / Teachers of Tomorrow is the largest, fastest growing Teacher Certification Program in the nation, delivering online training to individuals who want to pursue a career in teaching. Teachers of Tomorrow attracts career changers with an average age of 32 into teaching so they can bring their real-world experiences into the classroom. Teachers of Tomorrow is the second most diverse certification program in the country with 46% non-white enrollment. In Addition, 70% of Teachers of Tomorrow teachers remain in the profession after five years, significantly higher than the national average of only 50%. Over the last 11 years, Teachers of Tomorrow has certified more than 50,000 new teachers, and in 2017 the Company trained and certified more than 6,000 teachers. An independent study revealed that Teachers of Tomorrow graduates see student achievement results equal to teachers coming through university programs. Teachers of Tomorrow is an approved teacher certification provider in Texas, Florida, Nevada, Indiana, South Carolina, Michigan, Arizona and North Carolina.

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According to North Carolina Title II reports, there has been a significant decrease in enrollments in educator preparation programs in the state. Enrollment dropped from 20,235 in 2012 to 14,318 in 2014.

“While North Carolina continues to recruit teachers to our state, we are constantly trying to fill the void of hard to staff positions in every LEA. We need to provide every avenue and opportunity for skilled candidates to access innovative educator preparation programs,” stated Lt. Governor Dan Forest, who also sits on the State Board of Education. “The policy we unanimously passed at the Board meeting last week is a very productive step forward for North Carolina, enabling our school districts the ability to attain a whole new crop of teacher candidates that can provide every child with an excellent teacher.”

Teachers of Tomorrow worked closely with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to ensure the program will meet all state requirements and is aligned to all state standards during the new program approval process. The Teachers of Tomorrow application was peer reviewed by North Carolina experts to ensure the program meets those standards. Among other attributes cited by the State Board of Education in the discussion was the fact that Teachers of Tomorrow continues to move forward on approval by the Council of Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and has already secured school district partnerships in North Carolina.

“Teachers always have been and always will be the most important part of the classroom,” said North Carolina Superintendent Mark Johnson. “Programs such as North Carolina Teachers of Tomorrow will help us recruit more great teachers to North Carolina classrooms and improve student outcomes.”

While North Carolina Teachers of Tomorrow is now fully approved as a program by the State Board, DPI must approve all subject areas for potential teachers. That approval process will begin later in the month and throughout August.

“Our focus has always been helping districts ensure they have the talent they need for their schools,” said Dave Saba, Chief Development Officer of Teachers of Tomorrow. “We are honored to be a part of this new process and begin helping more great people realize their dream of teaching in a North Carolina classroom.”

North Carolina Teachers has been launched to propel the careers of future North Carolina teachers who are transitioning into the classroom from other career paths. The North Carolina Teachers team of program advisors has been trained to help guide teacher candidates through the certification process, from start to finish. The program will start taking applications in August, but those interested in applying to become a certified teacher in North Carolina should complete the information request form. Anyone applying through October 31, 2018 will be eligible for a $100 discount on the $395 initial fee so that the first cohort of great North Carolina teachers can more easily get started.

About Teachers of Tomorrow (www.teachersoftomorrow.org)

Teachers of Tomorrow is the largest, fastest growing Teacher Certification Program in the nation, delivering online training to individuals who want to pursue a career in teaching. Teachers of Tomorrow attracts career changers with an average age of 32 into teaching so they can bring their real-world experiences into the classroom. Teachers of Tomorrow is the second most diverse certification program in the country with 46% non-white enrollment; and 68% of Teachers of Tomorrow teachers remain in the profession after five years, significantly higher than the national average of only 50%. Over the last 11 years, Texas Teachers has certified more than 45,000 new teachers, and in 2016 the Company trained and certified over 7,000 teachers. An independent study revealed that Teachers of Tomorrow graduates see student achievement results equal to teachers coming through university programs. Teachers of Tomorrow is an approved teacher certification provider in Texas, Florida, Nevada, Indiana, South Carolina, Michigan, Arizona and now North Carolina.

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The post North Carolina Teachers of Tomorrow Approved to Help Reduce Teacher Shortage appeared first on Teachers of Tomorrow.

HOUSTON (July 1, 2018) – Teachers of Tomorrow announced today that it has more than 1,000 teacher candidates enrolled in its educator preparation program in its newest states. The program began expanding into new states in August 2016 and its educator preparation program has been approved in Florida, Nevada, South Carolina, Indiana, Michigan and Arizona. Most of the teachers enrolled will be eligible for hire this fall to help alleviate critical teacher shortages across the country.

“We have worked hard to launch our new state programs to ensure we can meet the needs of our school district partners this year,” said Vernon Reaser, CEO of Teachers of Tomorrow. “In spite of critical teacher shortages in these states, we have created a program that speaks to so many across the country who want to become teachers with an affordable and efficient route to their own classroom.”

Founded in 2005 as Texas Teachers, the program successfully worked to meet Texas school district teacher needs by recruiting, preparing and certifying more than 45,000 teachers. Teachers of Tomorrow was created in 2016 for the national expansion. The expansion success of six new states in two years far exceeded expectations.

Another significant milestone achievement is that more than 10,000 candidates have applied to become teachers in the Teachers of Tomorrow program in the six states. Some will ultimately enroll, but many will not meet the admission requirements to the program.

“Teachers of Tomorrow has always been about getting teachers hired to fill critical positions so that every child has a great teacher,” said Reaser. “Enrolling 1,000 high quality teacher candidates means that our new district partners across the country will have the staffing they need this fall.”

Word of mouth, district referrals, digital marketing and billboards are used by the Teachers of Tomorrow team to find career changers who want to teach.  A local team works with school districts to identify staffing needs and a highly skilled team of advisors helps candidates work through the complex teacher licensing process.

Information about the program in each of the states can be found at:

• Florida Teachers
• South Carolina Teachers
• Nevada Teachers
• Indiana Teachers
• Michigan Teachers
• Arizona Teachers

About Teachers of Tomorrow (www.teachersoftomorrow.org)

Teachers of Tomorrow is the largest, fastest growing Teacher Certification Program in the nation, delivering online training to individuals who want to pursue a career in teaching. Teachers of Tomorrow attracts career changers with an average age of 32 into teaching so they can bring their real-world experiences into the classroom. Teachers of Tomorrow is the second most diverse certification program in the country with a 46% non-white enrollment. In addition, 70% of Teachers of Tomorrow teachers remain in the profession after five years, which is significantly higher than the national average of only 50%. Over the last 11 years, Teachers of Tomorrow has certified more than 45,000 new teachers, and in 2016 the company trained and certified more than 7,000 teachers. An independent study revealed that Teachers of Tomorrow graduates see student achievement results equal to teachers coming through university programs. Teachers of Tomorrow is an approved teacher certification provider in Texas, Florida, Nevada, Indiana, South Carolina, Michigan, and Arizona.

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