What is the most influential school-based variable in student achievement? The teacher. Since 1995, Inspired Teaching has fostered better classroom experiences for kids through innovative teacher training. Its two-year certification program for new teachers, and one-year professional development program for existing teachers, trains them to teach students not what to think but how to think, and ensures that all teachers are effective in the classroom when they take charge. Teachers also combine instruction with emotional support – a key factor in student success. Working with DCPS educators to improve student achievement and create rich academic experiences, Inspired Teaching also developed the first-ever Common Core-aligned "modules" for both science and social studies. Its Real World History builds the skills of a historian and provides internship opportunities at historical sites and museums – connecting learning with our world. Want to see lasting, systemic change in our schools? This is where it begins.

COVID-19 Impact: Without changing the timeline, content, impact, or outcomes of its programs, CIT moved quickly to expand offerings to support the growing needs of teachers during this challenging time. #Inspired2Learn and Hooray for Monday resources responded to their needs with easy-to-use lessons, activities, and professional learning tools. These online resources immediately boosted CIT’s capacity to reach more teachers, school leaders, and parents. The number of virtual sessions of the most popular youth program, Speak Truth, increased and lengthened the calendar, resulting in additional sessions for the school year.

Headquarters: DC-Ward 1

Where They Operate: DC-Citywide; DC-Ward 1; DC-Ward 2; DC-Ward 3; DC-Ward 4; DC-Ward 5; DC-Ward 6; DC-Ward 7; DC-Ward 8

Age Groups Served: Pre-K (3-4); Youth (5-11); Pre-teen/teen (12-17); Adult (25-49)

Ethnic Groups Served: African American; Asian American; Caucasian; Latino/Hispanic

Population(s) Served: Students

Schools They Work In: We work closely with teachers in schools throughout DC, and we work in very close concert with with Capital City PCS Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS


  • Number of children you prepare for success in school annually:  
    Through our transformative teacher training programs, we ensure that over 1,000 public and charter school students throughout Washington, DC are in classrooms where they can realize their full potential as critical thinkers and learners.

Awards & Recognition

2001: Founder and Executive Director, Aleta Margolis is recognized as a leading social entrepreneur by Ashoka. This recognition comes as the organization continues to work to transform education by dramatically improving the way teachers teach.

2009: Recent changes in DC law allow nonprofits to apply for the authority to credential new public school teachers. Inspired Teaching is the only local nonprofit to be given credentialing authority (Teach For America and The New Teacher Project are also approved.

2009: The Inspired Teacher Certification Program is the first local teacher preparation program that is supported by AmeriCorps* State Professional Corps Program administered by Serve DC - The Mayor's Office on Volunteerism.

2011: The Inspired Teaching Demonstration School opens in August 2011. Deeply grounded in the philosophy of Inspired Teaching, this school is a place where children's imagination, intellect, inquiry, and integrity are encouraged and developed.

2012: We welcome the first group of Fellows (in the Inspired Teacher Certification Program) who experience a residency-based approach to teaching. Fellows spend this residency year in the classroom of a lead teacher, learning what high-quality teaching looks like from the first day of school through the last.

2013: Four Inspired Teaching Institute alumni are selected as recipients of the 2013 David Rubenstein Award for Highly Effective teachers. Several Teacher Leaders with our BLISS program are tapped for instructional leadership roles in the K-12 profession. Center for Inspired Teaching's Common Core-aligned curriculum for DC middle school social studies teachers is piloted in classrooms throughout DC, giving students the opportunity to dive deep into the study of early pioneer life in America, the modern urbanization of China, and the U.S. Civil War.

Press

Budget (FY2016)

  • $3 million or higher
  • The current budget for Center for Inspired Teaching is: $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to $3 million. This graphic indicates the budget range of the organization featured here. If you see an organizational budget above the $3 million mark, that is because the featured charity has grown in size since it first appeared in the Catalogue. We proudly present on our website the work of these "growth" charities.

About the Catalogue for Philanthropy

Each year 120 expert reviewers evaluate applicants for distinction, merit, and impact. Each featured charity has been successfully site visited and its financials given the thumbs up. The Catalogue for Philanthropy charges no fees and raises funds separately to support its work. Since 2003, it has raised over $40 million for charities across the Greater Washington region.

The Catalogue for Philanthropy looks to friends like you to keep our services independent and entirely free of charge. Consider a small contribution to the Catalogue to cap off your gift and help the causes you care about get the full support they deserve!

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