Does Achievement First pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Achievement First employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.1 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Achievement First. This rating has decreased by 5% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Achievement First?

35% of Achievement First employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Achievement First 2.6 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.1 for culture and values and 3.0 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Achievement First?

Teacher (267) , Lead Teacher (34) , Academic Dean (20) , Teacher In Residence (20) , English Teacher (18) , Student Services Manager (17) , Math Teacher (14) , Dean (13) , Dean of Students (13) , Middle School Math Teacher (12) , Special Education Teacher (12) , Middle School Teacher (9) , Director (8) , Office Coordinator (8) , Associate Director (6)

What are the pros of working at Achievement First according to real employee reviews?

"Pay is good and beneficial" ((in 67 reviews)); "Great people to work with!" ((in 47 reviews)); "Competitive salary depending on number of years and education Day to day truly depends on the specific school" ((in 39 reviews)); "Good Professional Development" ((in 34 reviews)); "Great coaching during live teaching and documented summary provided." ((in 30 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Achievement First according to real employee reviews?

"No work life balance and a high" ((in 107 reviews)); "Long hours and overly tolerant of negative student behaviors." ((in 75 reviews)); "Misalignment from network level down to teachers and incompetent leadership at some schools/staff shortages" ((in 35 reviews)); "Long hours (9 hours a day required for teachers)" ((in 23 reviews)); "Poor management." ((in 13 reviews))

What are employees saying about Achievement First layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Achievement First layoffs and their outlook for job security at Achievement First in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Achievement First locations?

Brooklyn , New York , New Haven , Providence , Hartford , Bridgeport , Bushwick , Crown Heights , Cranston , East New York , North Providence , Binghamton , Queensbury , Stanfordville , Tempe , Hamden , New Orleans , Warwick , Miami , Boston , Savannah , Grand Chute , Brooklyn , Brownsville

Achievement First reviews

3.0

35% would recommend to a friend

(999 total reviews)

Fatimah Barker

39% approve of CEO

21% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Achievement First has an employee rating of 3.0 out of 5 stars, based on 999 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The Achievement First employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Education industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

999 reviews

1.0

Oct 14, 2022

They don’t care about the people that work for them.

Dean of students

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The kids make coming to work enjoyable. You get to meet really smart, caring and kind educators.

Cons

The pay doesn’t match the amount of work you do. They don’t pay people climbing up the ladder within the network, that has proven what they can do and their worth, as much as they do external hires

3.0

Oct 5, 2022

Pros & Cons

Teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The kids are amazing (as always) and if you stay for a few years they definitely really show you their appreciation for doing so, if you are deemed a "good" teacher, you are pretty much left alone, great pay

Cons

Don't promote from within, show favoritism to former AF students turned teachers, do not try to keep good teachers/get rid of bad ones, gossip heavy school, administration changes every year, lots of staff turnover (both mid-year and end-of-year), work/life balance is virtually non-existent

3.0

Oct 4, 2022

Former Teacher

Teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Partnership with RELAY GSE, training, management, children

Cons

High workload. High Burnout rate

Viewing 169 - 171 of 999 Reviews

Jobs at Achievement First

2026-2027 (NY) Academic Dean-History/Science

RI Academic Paraprofessional (2026-27)

RI 2026-2027 Academic Dean

RI Middle School History Teacher (2026-27)

CT College Counselor-Hartford 2026-27