Texas Teachers Are Showing Up—Let’s Invest In Them
Across Texas, more and more teachers are stepping into classrooms without traditional certification.
This year, 12% of Texas public school teachers—up from just 4% five years ago—are uncertified. It’s a number that reflects the challenges schools face, not a lack of commitment from educators.
Because make no mistake: teachers are showing up.
They’re showing up in the midst of a staffing crisis.
They’re showing up after a pandemic that upended learning.
They’re showing up for their students, even when they’re new, overwhelmed, or underprepared.
Even so, “when placed in classrooms with teachers who lack training, students can fall behind. Those with new, uncertified teachers lost the equivalent of about four months of learning in reading and three months in math,” according to a Texas Tech University study.
At Catch Up & Read, we believe that these teachers deserve support, and our organization was created for this very moment. Our model is designed to meet two urgent needs at once:
Support students who are falling behind in reading.
Support teachers—certified or not—with practical tools, coaching, and confidence.
Through our campus-embedded model, we pair each school with a certified Literacy Coach. We don’t just drop in with a one-time training, we stick around. Each teacher in the program receives personalized support and coaching throughout the school year. We also pay stipends to teachers who stay after school. And it’s all grounded in the Science of Reading, blended with social-emotional strategies that speak to the real challenges facing underserved communities.
Catch Up & Read is not just making a difference, it’s changing the trajectory for teachers and students alike:
92% of Dallas ISD teachers who participated in Catch Up & Read stayed in the district the following year, compared to just 80% of their peers.
100% retention for new teachers (0–2 years experience) who participated in Catch Up & Read, compared to just 76% of their novice peers.
95%+ of teachers say Catch Up & Read significantly improved their teaching and helped them connect more deeply with students.
In the 2023–24 school year, 94% of students in our program improved their reading levels—outpacing their peers in statistically significant ways.
Our school district partners and campus leaders know what works, and they’re lining up. There’s a growing wait list to bring Catch Up & Read to more campuses because principals and teachers alike see the impact firsthand. Teachers who work with Catch Up & Read often go on to lead instructional teams, mentor peers, and stay in the profession longer.
We’re not just helping kids catch up. We’re helping teachers keep going.
At Catch Up & Read, we believe every child deserves a great teacher—and every teacher deserves the training and support to become one. In a moment when too many classrooms are under-resourced and overwhelmed, we’re proud to be part of the solution that helps get teachers the training they need to be successful.