The Skillman Foundation

The Skillman Foundation and Detroit Children’s Fund today announced the launch of “Teach 313”, a local and national campaign to recruit teachers to Detroit,  from early childhood through 12th grade. An unprecedented public-private partnership, Teach 313 will offer incentives from corporate partners, including General Motors and Quicken Loans, to assist them in achieving a better quality of life. These incentives will help attract and retain exceptional teachers to Detroit to ensure that every child in the city is receiving the quality education they deserve.

“If we’re going to continue the growth of our city, we need to do everything we can to support Detroit students,” said Mayor Mike Duggan, City of Detroit. “That means recruiting the best teachers to Detroit, and Teach 313 is going to be key to that effort. I strongly encourage our partners in the business community to support the Teach 313 program and support our teachers city wide.”

Teach 313 is a talent initiative focused on recruitment, professional development, and the quality of life of Detroit teachers. This iniative was born from a strong need in the city of Detroit, where in K-12 schools, there’s nearly 30 percent teacher attrition each school year in Detroit. Furthermore:

• Over 14 percent of teachers moved schools (outside of Detroit)
• Over 4 percent of teachers left teaching in Detroit, or the profession altogether

“We need teachers who believe they can change the world. That’s the opportunity before us.  As Detroit works to become a place of prosperity where families and communities thrive, there’s no role more important than that of our teachers,” said Tonya Allen, president & CEO of the Skillman Foundation. “The Skillman Foundation is proud to be part of this collective effort to attract educators to Detroit schools and celebrate and support those already devoted to cultivating our city’s young talent.”

As part of its recruiting efforts, Teach 313 has engaged multiple partners including, the Service Year Alliance and AmeriCorps Alums (which include over 1 million alumni), the top 25 teacher-producing colleges and universities, and top 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country.

“Detroit’s children deserve a quality education, and a quality education is driven by inspired and supported teachers. What we’ve announced today is an unprecedented partnership among civic leadership from multiple sectors to create a lasting impact for our educators,” said Jack Elsey, Executive Director, Detroit Children’s Fund. “We’re no longer accepting the status quo—Detroit Children’s Fund is committed to making Detroit the best place to raise a family, and Teach 313 is helping us make that aspiration a reality.”

Detroit’s Business Community Steps Up

Corporate partners have commited to Detroit’s youth through incentives that they will offer though the Teach 313 initiative . Currently, Quicken Loans and General Motors have commited to participating in the initiative.

General Motors will offer two incentives:

• The GM Educator Discount, open to all current educators, administrators, faculty and support staff who work at any public or private school, university or college. This discount can be combined with current offers for additional savings and combined can equal hundreds, even thousands, off the price of a new lease or purchase. For more information about the discount and other current offers, click here.
• The OnStar Safety and Security Package, open to new Detroit teachers and administrators who work at a public or private school in the city of Detroit, free for two years*. This package is valued at $25 per month and includes:
  • Automatic Crash Response that gets you help right away even if you can’t ask for it
  • Roadside Assistance
  • Stolen Vehicle Assistance
  • Emergency Services
  • Crisis Assist in severe weather, natural disasters or other crises
  • Turn-by-Turn Navigation with the help of a live advisor if needed

* This offer can be activated on any OnStar-equipped vehicle, model year 2011 or newer. Some 2009-2010 can activate limited features of this package, as well.

Quicken Loans will offer Detroit teachers who purchase or refinance a home with them $1,500 in mortgage savings, including:

• $1,000 closing cost credit
• $500 cash back after closing
• Additional VIP services such as a personalized mortgage review; online tools, mobile apps, and access to educational webinars; and VIP treatment from a dedicated team of home loan experts.

To learn more about Quicken Loans’ work, visit click here.

“GM is proud to join in the Teach313 effort to show our support, appreciation and commitment to bringing the best and brightest talent to the Motor City,” said Tony Cervone, vice president of global communications at General Motors. “Education remains a key component of Detroit’s comeback, and attracting great teachers will help students thrive.”

“We know that for kids to get a great education, they must have great teachers.  That’s why we are committed to attracting the best and brightest educators while simultaneously supporting the talented teachers currently working in Detroit,” said Bill Emerson, Vice Chairman of Quicken Loans.  “We also understand that a strong sense of community is critical for both teachers and students.  That starts with a place to call home, which is why we are so excited to offer educators significant discounts on their home financing.”

For more information on Teach 313, or to learn how to get involved, please visit www.Teach313.org.