YES
The YES Experience
What Will You Find as a Teacher at a YES Prep Public School?
“I appreciate the freedom and independence I am given to be as creative as I want in the classroom and beyond.”
- Cliff Claflin, Dean of Students, Science Teacher
“I can’t begin to describe the impact that YES had in my life. YES made me realize that the world outside of Houston was within my reach. For the first time I had teachers who challenged and inspired me intellectually, who cared about my going to college as much as I did, who had faith in me, and who supported me a hundred and ten percent.”
- Patricia Hernandez, YES alumna
Stanford University Class of ‘05
7th Grade English Teacher
An Atmosphere of High Expectations
Unlike most public schools that serve low-income students, YES Prep holds incredibly high standards for our students. Students must be accepted to a four-year college or university in order to graduate from YES, and teachers, students, and parents all sign "Commitment to Excellence" contracts at the beginning of each school year committing to do "Whatever It Takes" to reach that goal. All of our students complete a rigorous college preparatory program including Algebra and foreign language in middle school, and Advanced Placement and dual-credit courses in high school.
A Community of Like-Minded Colleagues
In few other places will you find an entire network of people who share the same belief structure and work ethic. No matter which YES campus you walk onto, you will see dedicated, energized staff members giving 100% every day in order to help students succeed. Teachers and staff at YES Prep are united in the belief that education can change lives, families, and communities and they gain strength from their shared beliefs about power of education.
A Commitment to Professional Support and Growth
We offer an exceptional level of support to beginning teachers, who take part in a year-long induction program including direct support from both a mentor and an instructional coach. Experienced teachers benefit not only from the resources YES provides to attend frequent professional conferences and workshops during the summer and throughout the school year, but also from the collaboration and frequent sharing that occurs across our campuses. Finally, YES encourages teacher leaders and provides teachers with demonstrated leadership qualities the opportunity to become grade level chairs, department heads, and school leaders much faster than in traditional districts.
Competitive Compensation
At YES Prep, we believe that excellent teachers should be compensated for the "extras" that they do to ensure that their students are successful. In addition to offering compensation and benefits that are competitive with surrounding districts, YES compensates its teachers for the extra time they spend on campus on Saturdays and during the summer, and we reward outstanding performance with a generous bonus system based on performance evaluations and student results.
