In 2004, a group of local citizens recognized that the recruitment and retention of African American teachers in local schools is an essential step in improving the academic achievement levels of black children in our community. Although they knew that the Charlottesville and Albemarle school districts have worked to recruit and retain African American teachers and some of the founders had been part of that effort, they also knew that those efforts had fallen far short of the need.

Following vigorous fund raising by some of the founders, in 2004, a board of directors was formed and within a few months, the program was incorporated, obtained its 501(c)(3) status, hired a director, and accepted an offer from the Virginia Organizing Project to act as its fiduciary. It now functions as a separate entity and in December 2007, moved the office to its present site. The Board of Directors is currently composed of twenty citizens, with representatives from the public schools, local colleges, and other professions.

The first fellowship was awarded in the fall of 2004 and the first graduate began employment in the City School system in the fall of 2006.

 

Geographic Area

AATF serves the Charlottesville and Albemarle County Schools systems. It seeks to recruit area citizens although it has accepted persons from outside the area who attend local colleges and commit to teaching locally for the required period.

 

The Goals of the AATF Program

  • We recruit, develop, and support qualified African Americans seeking a teaching career who will commit to teach in the Charlottesville or Albemarle County public schools.
  • We provide professional advisement and mentoring opportunities that extend beyond the regular college and licensure programs.
  • We instill a sense of mission, service and leadership in the African American Teaching Fellows.

Board of Directors

Visit the Board of Directors page for a full list.

Support for AATF

We are deeply grateful for the broad support that AATF has received from individuals and organizations in the area. Educators from Charlottesville and Albemarle support our goals, as do the government leaders, local religious communities, foundations, corporations, community organizations and individual contributors.

Educators

  • Dr. Rosa Atkins, Superintendent of Schools, Charlottesville
  • Dr. Pamela Moran, Superintendent of Schools, Albemarle


Government leaders

  • David Norris, Mayor, City of Charlottesville
  • Holly Edwards, City Councilor, Charlottesville
  • Delegate David Toscano, Virginia House of Delegates for the 57th District


Religious Communities

  • Charlottesville Friends Meeting
  • Ebenezer Baptist Church
  • First Congregational Church of Berkeley, CA
  • First United Methodist Church
  • Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church — Unitarian Universalist
  • St. Paul's Episcopal Church
  • Sojourners United Church of Christ
  • Westminster Presbyterian Church


Foundations

  • Bama Works
  • Better Living Foundation, Charlottesville
  • Charlottesville Area Community Foundation
  • Grace R. Riggs Fund
  • Inez Duff Bishop Fund
  • Blue Moon Fund
  • I.J. and Hilda M. Breeden Foundaton
  • National Radio Astronomy Observatory


Corporations

  • CarMax Foundation
  • LexisNexis Cares
  • Martha Jefferson Hospital
  • Silverchair
  • State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance
  • Wachovia Foundation

Community Organizations

  • Alpha Kappa Alpha-Eta Phi Omega Chapter Charlottesville Chapter of the Links
  • Charlottesville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
  • Community Access Fund – Paramount Theater Martin Luther King Day Collection
  • Office of Diversity & Equity, UVA


Individual Contributors

Hundreds of individuals have given generously because they understand that AATF is playing a unique role in bringing about racial equity in Charlottesville and Albemarle County schools.