In 2007, Charlottesville students were 46% African American, yet only 15% of the teaching staff was African American. In Albemarle County, the corresponding numbers were 13% and 7%. Such disparities have long been cited as a potential factor in the achievement gap existing between white and African American students. Research and experience suggest that black children succeed academically when their teachers and role models:

• share their cultural heritage,
• possess the confidence to challenge them, and
• provide support to meet those challenges.

Efforts by our local school systems to recruit and retain qualified African American teachers have had only limited success. The African American Teaching Fellows Program of Charlottesville-Albemarle (AATF) believes that one way to solve this dilemma is to "grow our own" through a local citizens' initiative. For that reason,

The goal of AATF is to enroll, mentor, and help financially sustain at least 10 African American Fellows each year, primarily from Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

In fact, all children benefit when the teaching staff represents the diverse nature of our communities.

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