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 72 reviews)); "You meet some really great people at this organization and form relationships for the rest of your life." ((in 47 reviews)); "Competitive salary depending on number of years and education Day to day truly depends on the specific school" ((in 43 reviews)); "Good Professional Development" ((in 36 reviews)); "Great coaching during live teaching and documented summary provided." ((in 27 reviews))

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

"No work life balance and a high" ((in 106 reviews)); "Long hours and overly tolerant of negative student behaviors." ((in 74 reviews)); "Misalignment from network level down to teachers and incompetent leadership at some schools/staff shortages" ((in 34 reviews)); "Long hours (9 hours a day required for teachers)" ((in 22 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

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (999 reviews)

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

3.0

Jun 25, 2023

Limited teacher growth

Teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

I learned the basics of teaching here: how to be organized, lesson planning, and classroom management.

Cons

After about 2 years, I couldn't expand my skillset because the model for teaching was one size fits all. There wasn't room for teacher creativity and or decision making.

5.0

Jun 24, 2023

I promise to be better person

As a server

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

I promise to be a better employee,and I promise that I will not let your company down,I promise

Cons

I promise to be a better person

4.0

Jun 22, 2023

Amazing development, lots of work

Teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Professional development, coaching, smart coworkers, hardworking community, amazing kids, great systems in place

Cons

Can be anal in the name of alignment, lots of work and feedback

Viewing 175 - 177 of 999 Reviews

Jobs at Achievement First

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

CT College Counselor-Hartford 2026-27

2026-2027 (NY) Academic Dean -Math

RI 2026-2027 Academic Dean

RI Middle School History Teacher (2026-27)