Teachers of Tomorrow Marks 20 Years of Excellence, Celebrating 80,000+ Certified Educators
Nation’s leading teacher preparation program commemorates two decades of impact, innovation, and dedication to quality and diversity.
AUSTIN, Feb. 18th, 2025 – Teachers of Tomorrow (ToT), the nation’s leading teacher preparation program, is proudly celebrating two decades of empowering aspiring educators and shaping the future of classrooms across the country.
Since its founding, ToT has helped over 80,000 passionate individuals obtain their teaching certifications, many of whom have gone on to earn prestigious awards, such as three recent “Texas Teacher of the Year” recipients. These educators embody ToT’s mission: to inspire, educate, and transform lives.
“Teaching is truly the ‘Role of a Lifetime,’ and the impact of a single educator is immeasurable,” said Dr. Heath Morrison, CEO of Teachers of Tomorrow and a former teacher and superintendent. “On average, a teacher influences over 3,000 students throughout their career, which means our graduates have already touched millions of lives. That’s millions of reasons to celebrate!”
Peter Yorke, a ToT graduate and the program’s 2024 Texas Teacher of the Year, shares, “I find great inspiration in each of my students’ individuality and the level of energy they bring to class. I intend to use the scholarship fund to expand the learning environment and experience, create more accessible ways of delivering a complete, rigorous education, and empower students’ confidence and morale.”
Commitment to Excellence in Teacher Preparation
Teachers of Tomorrow has earned the distinction of being fully accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) in Texas and Indiana, as well as accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). This ensures that its programs meet rigorous quality standards. ToT’s commitment to excellence is further reflected in its near-perfect scores in a recent state-appointed Texas State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) review. “These results reflect our commitment to quality and the preparation of educators who are ready to inspire the next generation,” said Dr. Morrison.
The organization’s online curriculum is designed to meet state certification requirements and is led by certified instructors with extensive classroom experience, ensuring a high-quality learning experience. The curriculum aligns with both state and national standards, including Quality Matters, InTASC, and ISTE standards, and undergoes regular reviews to ensure it remains relevant and evidence based.
Increasing Access to Teaching
Teachers of Tomorrow takes great pride in expanding the pool of new teacher candidates, by giving access to quality training for thousands of aspiring educators from a diverse set of backgrounds, demographics, and industries. With an ever-increasing shortage of new teachers entering the field through traditional college degrees, ToT fills an important gap by creating a viable pathway tailored for career changers. With an online asynchronous curriculum, flexible pricing options, discounts, district partnerships, and scholarships, their program aims to make the transition to teaching as seamless as possible. The program also prioritizes recruiting educators for high-demand fields like special education and STEM, where the need for certified educators is greatest.
Looking Ahead
As ToT celebrates its 20th anniversary, Dr. Morrison reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to strengthening teacher pipelines and addressing the national teacher shortage. “There’s no greater challenge in education today than ensuring every student has a highly qualified teacher. Alternative certification programs like ToT are instrumental in attracting and preparing new educators. Last year alone, more than half of new teachers in Texas entered the classroom uncertified — a crisis that directly impacts student learning and teacher retention. We’re working hand-in-hand with school districts to change that.”
Looking to the future, the program is dedicated to continuing its mission of building a highly qualified and diverse teaching workforce, driven by the passion and commitment of both educators and students.
Teachers of Tomorrow currently offers certification in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas. Building on their success in these states, ToT expects to continue expanding to other states that are also grappling with teacher shortages.
About Teachers of Tomorrow
At Teachers of Tomorrow, we are deeply committed to creating a tangible social impact in education. As a portfolio company of The Rise Fund, a global impact investment fund focused on driving positive social and environmental change, we actively seek opportunities to give back and foster lasting progress. Teachers of Tomorrow’s Texas program is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). ToT has prepared over 80,000 certified teachers nationwide and is the larghest Educator Preparation Program (EPP) in Texas. More at www.teachersoftomorrow.org.
