RISE - Resources for Indispensable Schools and Educators

Resources for Indispensable Schools and Educators (RISE) is a national nonprofit organization that connects second-stage teachers with emerging schools in low-income communities where they will be more likely to succeed and remain in teaching.

The RISE Challenge

Talented, second-stage teachers would be more likely to stay in teaching if they found the "right fit" school - but those teachers don't have an effective or efficient way of finding emerging schools. How do we know this? 80% of teachers on the RISE Network said that RISE exposed them to schools they wouldn't have found otherwise.

Emerging low-income schools can only be successful if they can hire and keep second-stage teachers in their classrooms, but those schools often don't have enough resources to find and keep those teachers. How do we know this? Nationally, charter schools experience 25% annual turnover, compared with 14% turnover in traditional public schools. (Stuit & Smith 2009) and new small schools experience greater turnover and less experienced teachers than more established schools (Center for NYC Affairs 2009).

The RISE Solution: Meeting the Need to Connect

The RISE program operates annually as a three-stage process: 1. Find and Select RISE Network schools and teachers

• School Outreach and Selection
• Teacher Outreach and Selection 2. Connect schools and teachers 3. Evaluate RISE's impact on schools and teachers and improve program annually

Once schools and teachers have been identified and selected, RISE connects those chosen through an online platform the RISE Network. Information about all schools and teachers involved is transparently presented so that both parties have the information necessary to make a decision about the “best fit” for hiring. The RISE Network includes an email messaging system, easy search functionality, and other technological features that make the hiring process more efficient and effective. In addition, the RISE Network offers unique customer service by proactively engaging schools and teachers in communications with each other via RISE’s program staff.

RISE Definitions Second stage teachers: Teachers with 2-7 years of teaching experience. Emerging low-income schools: charter schools, small autonomous district schools, and district turnaround schools under dynamic new leadership, where the majority of the student population is eligible for free and reduced price lunch, and the leaders are committed to creating a positive working environment for teachers.