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The Rise Fund Makes Majority Investment in Teachers of Tomorrow to Support Growth of Critical Educator Training Programs<\/p>\n
San Francisco, CA, Fort Worth, TX and Houston, TX, \u2014September 2, 2021\u2014 The Rise Fund, TPG\u2019s multi-sector global impact investing strategy, today announced that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Teachers of Tomorrow, the nation\u2019s largest teacher alternative certification program (\u201cACP\u201d) which provides training, certification, and placement services for aspiring teachers, from Gauge Capital. The Rise Fund\u2019s acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory clearances and is expected to be completed by the end of September. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am excited to have The Rise Fund\u2019s support to build the nation\u2019s leading provider of alternative teacher certification, professional development and teacher exam preparation,\u201d said Phillip Braithwaite, CEO of Teachers of Tomorrow. \u201cWe have a proven platform that serves teachers and school districts and, in partnership with The Rise Fund, we are excited to build the premier educator ecosystem for teachers and schools across the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTeachers of Tomorrow is a natural fit for The Rise Fund\u2019s mission to drive measurable social impact at scale,\u201d said Steve Ellis, Co-Managing Partner of The Rise Fund. \u201cWe are excited to back Phillip\u2019s vision to accelerate growth both geographically and across product lines to provide training and support throughout the entire lifecycle of a teacher\u2019s career.\u201d<\/p>\n
Every state in the U.S. faces a severe shortage of teachers. The number of teaching candidates is declining, driven by the high cost and time commitment associated with traditional channels. Perennially high turnover in the profession has been exacerbated by COVID, with a record level of nationwide job openings for teachers. Out of these conditions, alternative certification has steadily grown as the pathway of choice for filling this shortage in many states due to lower costs and a more efficient training format. Teachers that come through the ACP channel are also more likely to be diverse, to teach in areas with the highest needs, and to be in mid-career job changes and therefore more likely to remain in the profession longer. \u201cWe have enjoyed our partnership with Teachers of Tomorrow and are pleased with the increased impact the Company has had on the markets we serve. We selected The Rise Fund as the right future partner of the business based on their combination of education experience and overall mission,\u201d said Tom McKelvey, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Gauge Capital.<\/p>\n
\u201cDigitally enabled certification and training is a core investment theme for The Rise Fund. We spent over a year getting to know the team at Teachers of Tomorrow,\u201d said John Rogers, Partner and Education Sector Lead at The Rise Fund. \u201cAnd school district customers overwhelmingly told us they would hire even more candidates from Teachers of Tomorrow if the company could scale to meet their critical hiring needs. Teachers of Tomorrow provides STEM, bilingual and career and technical certifications at all grade levels. They train 29% more teachers of color than the general population of teachers and the teachers they certify stay in the teaching profession at higher rates than national averages.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teachers of Tomorrow has expanded from one state to nine states over the past five years with plans to continue its market expansion. Through quality instruction and support, Teachers of Tomorrow provides the opportunity for skilled professionals to make the transition to teaching, which in turn makes a meaningful difference in the lives of their students. In addition to their curriculum, Teachers of Tomorrow offers advisory services throughout the entire certification process while preparing
\ncandidates to meet the specific requirements in their respective states. The company also works closely with candidates, school districts, talent acquisition teams, and principals to ensure the best possible talent is placed in the classroom.<\/p>\n
Teachers of Tomorrow is uniquely positioned to offer the most focused professional development and test-prep offerings for teachers and districts across the country.<\/p>\n
The investment in Teachers of Tomorrow further adds to The Rise Funds\u2019 extensive education portfolio, which includes a number of companies that seek to expand access to quality education. Other portfolio companies across The Rise Funds include DreamBox Learning, the nation\u2019s premier provider of adaptive instructional software for math and literacy; Renaissance Learning, a market-leading education technology company currently providing assessments used by almost one-third of K-12 schools across the country; EverFi, a pioneer in community engagement across K-12, higher education and the workforce; and InStride, the premier global provider of strategic enterprise education programs bringing affordable, flexible and accredited educational programs from leading academic institutions to working adults in the workplace.<\/p>\n
Gauge Capital was advised by RW Baird and Ropes & Gray LLP. The Rise Funds was advised by Kirkland & Ellis LLP.
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About Teachers of Tomorrow<\/a>
\nTeachers of Tomorrow has been the nation\u2019s most comprehensive provider of teacher services since 2005. Committed to helping educators excel in the classroom and beyond, Teachers of Tomorrow provides holistic support across the entire lifecycle of the teacher. To provide teachers with the requisite skills to successfully enter \u2013 and stay \u2013 in the teaching profession, Teachers of Tomorrow provides accredited pre-certification training, research-based test preparation, and ongoing professional development.<\/p>\n