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 68 reviews)); "Great people to work with!" ((in 44 reviews)); "Good Professional Development" ((in 43 reviews)); "Competitive salary depending on number of years and education Day to day truly depends on the specific school" ((in 39 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 105 reviews)); "Long hours and overly tolerant of negative student behaviors." ((in 71 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 21 reviews)); "Poor management." ((in 15 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

Dec 17, 2024

Former AF Teacher

Lead teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The staff (that stayed) were great. We got really close. Charter schools have high turnover but it was really a fun environment.

Cons

The school days are very long, they constantly give busy work to teacher who are already very busy. I had no work life balance.

1.0

Nov 21, 2024

Horrible, Toxic Work Environment

Math teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The salary is moderately competitive.

Cons

The work load is way too much. It is simply not possible to do all that AF requires teachers to do, the way they demand. Also, AF over-use technology, to the point where technology becomes one more of a million things to do and keep track of, instead of being useful tools for efficiency and effective teaching. Class sizes are much too large: 31 to 33 students each. Students with special needs are not appropriately placed, nor their needs are being adequately addressed. They are placed in the same class as typically developing children. As a result, there is anywhere from 5 to 12 students with exceptionalities in a class with 20 to 26 general education students, of which another 5 or 6 should have IEP's but whose parents decline such services.

1.0

Oct 6, 2024

Terrible place

Special education teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

None their pay sucks and so do their healthcare.

Cons

The con is you need better health insurance. Theirs is Cigna. Nobody accepts Cigna in New England. Do better.

Viewing 253 - 255 of 999 Reviews

Jobs at Achievement First

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

RI Middle School History Teacher (2026-27)

2026-2027 (NY) Academic Dean -Math

2026-2027 (NY) Academic Dean

RI 2026-2027 Academic Dean