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Dear reviewer – thank you for sharing your honest and frank perspective on Achievement First. Although it sounds like we have not had similar experiences at AF, and have very different views of the organization, you’ve hit on some issues that are deeply important to us and probably important to other Glassdoor users, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak to them. We agree on your headline. You must be a certain type of person to work here successfully and happily, but we have a very different view of what “type” of person that is. There are many great people who would not be happy at AF. We are incredibly focused on growth mindset and excellence, which means that feedback is a gift, and you’re expected to give and receive it constantly. We are always thinking about how we can improve and serve kids better – which can be inspiring, emotionally draining, or both at the same time. We are looking for diversity and for people who are diversity and equity minded. Everyone is expected to grow and push themselves to create the inclusive environment where we maximize our impact for kids. And we are looking for people who are deeply committed to TEAM…not just the camaraderie but the discipline and the commitment to speak your truth and be willing – when a decision is made – to treat it like your own and “row together.”
There are many great people and committed educators who are not willing to do one or more of those things and should not come to work at AF. However, we are not looking for people to blindly “say what is expected.” We’ll never be a high-performing team that minimizes blind-spots when people don’t speak their truth. AF is also committed to “rowing together.” It takes gifted people-leaders to create safe and inclusive teams where people speak their truth and then hold each other to high expectations when a decision is made. We’re not 100% there but we’re actively training our leaders and watching for results. We survey every employee twice a year with questions like, “I have input on school-wide decisions” and “my opinion counts here.” We are improving significantly in each area – but still have room for growth. When we asked these survey questions just last month, 12% of our employees disagreed that their opinion counts. That tells us that we still have serious work to do.
The same is true of student investment and motivation. We’re improving but not good or fast enough. It’s why student investment surveys are no longer optional and we’re surveying our kids more than we survey our adults – because what they think and how they feel matters when it comes to their growth and achievement. It’s why every year we hold an alumni panel that every network leader attends so that we can hear from our kids where we are succeeding and where we’re failing to prepare them for college. And it’s why student investment is an entire network-wide priority next year. Because we believe that closing the achievement gap requires creating the environment where our kids form powerful identities and have opportunities to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Thank you for your feedback in both those areas. We’re committed to reaching excellence in both and that will happen faster when folks are sharing their frank and honest perspective – even (especially) if we disagree.
-Tom Kaiser, Chief Talent Officer
