Since the 1990s, a wide variety of programs have emerged to place accomplished college graduates within high-need American public schools.

They are built around a multi-year commitment, usually ranging from two to five years; some recruits intend to serve the community as teachers before pursuing other career directions, while others gain a springboard to leadership positions in education. In some programs new members are immediately placed in their own classrooms, while others adhere to an apprenticeship model with an experienced cooperating teacher during the first year. But all programs of this type seek to provide new teachers with a strong support network, offering pre-service preparation, ongoing mentoring, and an opportunity to obtain standard state licensure that often includes free or subsidized graduate coursework. At the same time, many who have gone through these programs speak of the personal and professional challenges inherent to intensive work performed in challenging circumstances.

Unlike other programs on this list, AmeriCorps volunteers often serve not as classroom teachers, but instead in important auxiliary roles including in tutoring and after-school programs.