Freedom Schools Literacy Academy

The Revolution
Begins With You!

The Freedom Schools Literacy Academy provides college and high school students opportunities to explore and deepen your interest in becoming not just a teacher, but an educator-activist.

All FSLA participants are eligible for the Center’s Black Teacher Pipeline Fellowship that provides academic support, professional coaching, college scholarships and retention bonuses.

Our approach to instructor experiences is steeped in Black culture, history and pedagogy. Everything is designed to affirm our racial identity and the roles we each can take in rebuilding the national Black teacher pipeline. All to advance racial justice and educational equity.

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FIND YOUR TEACHING PATHWAY

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Apply to become a Junior Servant Leader in one of our upcoming Freedom Schools Literacy Academy sessions.

As a Junior Servant Leader, you’ll support in-classroom instruction and engage in intellectually rigorous discussions, workshops and field trips—all designed to help you explore your interest in teaching.

All FSLA participants are eligible for the Center’s Black Teacher Pipeline Fellowship that provides academic support, professional coaching, college scholarships and retention bonuses.

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COLLEGE STUDENTS

Apply to become a Servant Leader Apprentice in one of our upcoming Freedom Schools Literacy Academy sessions.

As a Servant Leader Apprentice, you’ll sharpen your teaching acumen leading in-classroom instruction for young scholars (K-2nd graders) guided by Black teachers expert, not only in early literacy, but also Black pedagogy, education history and racial-identity development.

All FSLA participants are eligible for the Center’s Black Teacher Pipeline Fellowship that provides academic support, professional coaching, college scholarships and retention bonuses.

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EDUCATORS

Join one of our upcoming Freedom Schools Literacy Academy sessions.

You can serve a critical role in training and mentoring outstanding college and high school teacher-apprentices. In the process, energize your own commitment to teaching.

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FAMILIES

Enroll your child in one of our upcoming Freedom Schools Literacy Academy sessions.

Our young scholars (K-2nd graders) are instructed by teachers who care for them like family. We instill a sense of belongingness and racial pride through programming infused with rich Afrocentric traditions, leading our young scholars to show leaps in literacy and giving them a confidence boost to support their school success.

All FSLA participants are eligible for the Center’s Black Teacher Pipeline Fellowship that provides academic support, professional coaching, college scholarships and retention bonuses.

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DESTINI WILLIAMS

Junior Servant leader 2022

DESTINI WILLIAMS

Junior Servant leader 2022

What interested me in taking this role was having the ability to motivate children to learn and also to get a better understanding of the history of education.

TATIANA AMAYA

Servant Leader Apprentice 2021

TATIANA AMAYA

Servant Leader Apprentice 2021

The teaching apprenticeship was liberating. I could be authentic all the time. I never needed to dim my personality or code switch. I was able to be who I am and to connect to my students in the way I felt was necessary.

PARENT

of FSLA Scholar

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PARENT

of FSLA Scholar

Some of us didn’t fully understand the benefits of our children having Black teachers. That all changed after our children attended the Freedom Schools Literacy Academy.

CHRISTIAN SABREE

Teacher, Mastery Prep Elementary

[CBED] Policy & Advocacy Quote Image (1)

CHRISTIAN SABREE

Teacher, Mastery Prep Elementary

When kids have Black teachers, there aren’t as many barriers to break down before understanding them. This is why having a Black teacher is important.

Recognize

A FUTURE BLACK TEACHER-ACTIVIST

A DEDICATED JUNIOR SERVANT LEADER

A COMMITTED SERVANT LEADER APPRENTICE

LET THEM KNOW YOU RECOGNIZE THEIR EXCELLENCE

CONTINUE

#WENEEDBLACKTEACHERS

WE APPLAUD FUTURE BLACK TEACHER-ACTIVISTS

JACOB

RAMIER

MELISSA

ORIANA

TATIANA

CHARISMA

AISHA

HORACE

CHRISTIAN

TRYSTAN

TYRIN

YACUB

DESTINI

BRIANA

AREMONI

CASSANDRA

NOEL

TARIK

FEVEN

TRE

BLAKE

MAKIAH

SHANYA

SEVEN

MICHAEL

ZAKIYYAH

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Learn more about Freedom Schools Literacy Academy.

WHAT CURRICULA DO YOU USE?

To help high school students explore their interest in teaching careers, we use the Center’s own LeCount Catto Curriculum. College students are guided by experts in anti-racist educational pedagogy and practices designed by our professional learning team.

Our young scholars benefit from an integration of best practices from the Children’s Defense Fund and Philadelphia Freedom Schools with a culturally-responsive, affirming and sustaining early-literacy curriculum.

WHEN AND IN WHICH CITIES DO YOU OPERATE?

We operate afterschool and summer Freedom Schools Literacy Academy sessions at select schools in Philadelphia, PA; Memphis, TN and Detroit, MI.

We are currently accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year. Check back in January 2024 to apply for one of our summer 2024 positions.

WHAT IS THE PROGRAM’S IMPACT ON TEACHING AND LEARNING?

2022 REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:

High school students show a significant increase in interest in teaching Black children. College students report an increased interest in teaching tied to the excellent mentoring they receive from their coaches.

Majority of young scholars (83%) improved one or more reading levels. All participants show increased positive racial identity.

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About Us

Teaching Pathways

Professional Learning

Policy & Advocacy