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?

"The pay was good and sustained" ((in 67 reviews)); "Competitive salary depending on number of years and education Day to day truly depends on the specific school" ((in 45 reviews)); "Some great people work there!" ((in 45 reviews)); "Good Professional Development" ((in 39 reviews)); "Teachers and educational staff are great" ((in 24 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 73 reviews)); "Poor leadership, and low staff retention" ((in 36 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

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

Aug 5, 2022

Beware of Big Brother

Teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

They will teach you everything you need to know to be an effective and successful teacher.

Cons

Everything, this place is literally Big Brother and glorifies wasting time then "rewards" you with "time back" if their pointless could've been an email PDs take less time. While they do teach pedagogy and taxonomy they use gestapo inspired tactics to do so. Definitely not for the weak, if need be get in and get out.

1.0

Jul 19, 2022

Very poor teacher culture

Teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great kids and families, good pay, strong recruiting process

Cons

No work-life balance, micromanaging teachers, negative culture and morale among teachers, they say they are anti-racist but they police the bodies of Black and brown students by making them sit and participate in certain ways that feel contrary to the ideals that they tout

3.0

May 29, 2022

Long days

Teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great coaching during live teaching and documented summary provided.

Cons

Teacher covers before school arrival, lunch, recess, dismissal. Changes to curriculum that causes rework during school year. Prep time maybe total 60min broken up in school day.

Viewing 289 - 291 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

2026-2027 (NY) Academic Dean

RI Academic Paraprofessional (2026-27)