Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers

What Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers does

Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers (TSTT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1994 by Dr. Bettye Perkins and headquartered in White Plains, New York. The organization recruits, mentors, and trains culturally diverse and economically challenged students from high school through college and places them as teachers and community leaders, directly addressing the teacher diversity gap in American K-12 schools. Its core offering is the Teacher Mentorship Program, supplemented by five major initiatives (Male Teacher of Color Initiative, STEM Initiative, Student Leadership Movement, Workforce Diversity Initiative, and Community College Partnership Initiative), two named scholarship programs (Lois Bronz and Perkins Scholars), and annual events including the Careers in Education Conference and Regional Recognition ceremonies.

TSTT does not operate a proprietary technology platform; all programming is delivered through in-person mentorship embedded in partner school districts and on college campuses. The organization partners with 23+ colleges and universities — including South Carolina State University, Dominican College, SUNY Sullivan, Manhattanville University, and the University of Connecticut — and with public school districts across New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, and South Carolina. Documented outcomes include a 95% high school graduation rate, 96% college enrollment rate, and 90% teacher retention rate among participants.

The business model is a grant- and donation-funded nonprofit with no product pricing. Revenue streams include recurring donations processed via Network for Good, foundation grants (JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Lanza Family Foundation, Peter and Carmen Buck Foundation, Fairfield County Community Foundation), and corporate sponsorships (M&T Bank). Disclosed historical inflows include a $25,000 JPMorgan grant (2003), a $170,000 JPMorgan Male Teacher of Color Initiative grant (2012), and a $600,000 four-year Lanza Family Foundation pledge (2012). TSTT was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in 2025 as a national model for increasing teacher diversity, and Dr. Perkins has received the AARP Andrus Award (2018), an honorary degree from Manhattan College (2017), and recognition from Pace University and Sister to Sister International (2026).

Name

Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers

Legal name

Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers, Inc.

Website

https://tstt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers (TSTT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 that recruits, mentors, and trains culturally diverse and economically challenged high school and college students to become K-12 teachers through school district and college partnerships across the U.S. Northeast and Southeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Teacher Recruitment and Mentorship Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs (EDAHAFAF)

Keywords

• Teacher mentorship programs
• Education pipeline services
• Teacher diversity initiatives
• Scholarship programs
• Nonprofit education services

Headquarters

HQ city

White Plains

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: TSTT operates as a nonprofit organization that relies on donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships to fund its operations, student scholarships, and mentorship programs.
2. Foundation Grants and Corporate Sponsorships: Major funding from foundations like JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Peter and Carmen Buck Foundation, Lanza Family Foundation, and others to support program expansion, scholarships, and regional initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TSTT recruits, mentors, and trains culturally diverse and economically challenged students from high school through college to become effective teachers and committed leaders. The organization's core service is its Teacher Mentorship Program, complemented by targeted major initiatives (Male Teacher of Color Initiative, STEM Initiative, Student Leadership Movement, Workforce Diversity Initiative, Community College Partnership Initiative), scholarship programs (Lois Bronz Scholarship, Perkins Scholars), and annual events (Careers in Education Conference, Regional Recognition Events). Program participation is free to students.

Product overview

Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers (TSTT) is a nonprofit organization operating as a unified set of mentorship, scholarship, and professional development programs—not a software product or platform. The core offering is the Teacher Mentorship Program, which recruits and trains culturally diverse students from high school through college for careers in education. This core program is complemented by five major initiatives (Male Teacher of Color Initiative, STEM Initiative, Student Leadership Movement, Workforce Diversity Initiative, and Community College Partnership Initiative), two scholarship programs (Lois Bronz Scholarship and Perkins Scholars), and two annual events (Careers in Education Conference and Regional Recognition Events). The organization does not offer a technology product; all offerings are programmatic services focused on teacher development and diversification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Teacher Mentorship Program Core mentorship program that recruits culturally diverse and economically challenged students from high school through college, providing training and placement as effective teachers and committed leaders in education.
• Male Teacher of Color Initiative Major initiative focused on increasing the number of male teachers of color in the education workforce to address diversity gaps in teaching, supported by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation across New York City and upstate New York.
• STEM Initiative Program initiative focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and career pathways for TSTT students.
• Student Leadership Movement Leadership development program that introduces students to TSTT's vision as early as eighth grade, building foundation in leadership and academic readiness.
• Workforce Diversity Initiative Initiative aimed at increasing diversity in the education workforce through targeted recruitment and support.
• Community College Partnership Initiative Program that helps culturally diverse and economically challenged students become college graduates and certified teachers through community college pathways such as SUNY Sullivan's Teacher Assistant Certification and Associate's Degree offerings.
• Lois Bronz Scholarship Scholarship program established in honor of Lois Bronz, recognizing outstanding male students of color who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership, character, and commitment to education.
• Perkins Scholars Named scholarship program supporting TSTT students in their educational and career pursuits in teaching.
• Careers in Education Conference (CEC) Annual conference hosted by TSTT that brings together high school and college students, teachers, and education professionals to explore pathways into the teaching profession, hosting 150+ participants.
• Regional Recognition Events Annual celebration events recognizing achievements of TSTT students, graduates, alumni, teacher mentors, school districts, and supporters across New York and Connecticut regions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% high school graduation rate among TSTT students
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South Carolina State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Historic partnership marking TSTT's first formal partnership with an HBCU. SC State will award up to five Presidential Scholarships annually for five years (beginning Fall 2026) covering full tuition, room and board, books, and fees through the Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College. Ceremony attended by U.S. Congressman James E. Clyburn.
• SUNY SullivancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025New partnership as part of TSTT Community College Partnership Initiative, helping culturally diverse and economically challenged students become college graduates and certified teachers through Teacher Assistant Certification and Associate's Degree pathways.
• Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021New partnership to help address teacher shortage by creating pathways for students into teaching careers.
• Dominican CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2020Partnership announced March 2020 to expand pipeline of students of color to pursue teaching professions. Dominican College has an outstanding Teacher Education Program.
• Bridgeport Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Groundbreaking partnership established in 2009 to inspire and prepare the next generation of teachers in Connecticut. Currently serves nearly 200 high school and college students at Central High School, Harding High School, and Bassick High School.
• Ellenville Central School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 200025-year district partnership since 2000 in Ulster County, NY - a milestone reflecting shared commitment to preparing the next generation of educators.
• Manhattanville UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for annual Careers in Education Conference. One of 23+ college partners providing scholarship and career pathways for TSTT students.
• University of ConnecticutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege partner for Connecticut Region students.
• Housatonic Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege partner and venue for Connecticut Regional Recognition Dinner.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New Teacher Center: National nonprofit focused on teacher induction, mentoring, and retention, with a focus on equity and diversity. Directly comparable in mentoring model and teacher retention outcomes (TSTT reports 90% retention, NTC also focuses on reducing early-career teacher attrition).
• TNTP (The New Teacher Project): National nonprofit focused on teacher recruitment, preparation, and development, particularly for high-need schools. Comparable in working with school districts to address teacher shortages and diversify the educator workforce.
• Teach For America: National nonprofit that recruits and trains recent graduates and professionals to teach in underserved schools, with a strong emphasis on diversity. Directly comparable mission of building a diverse teacher pipeline, though operating at much larger scale and using a short-term teaching corps model rather than long-term mentorship.
• Teach.org: National nonprofit campaign to recruit and support new teachers, particularly from diverse backgrounds. Overlaps with TSTT's mission of encouraging underrepresented students into teaching careers.
• Relay Graduate School of Education: Graduate school offering alternative teacher preparation programs designed to address teacher shortages and increase educator diversity. Operates teacher certification programs similar to TSTT's college pathway model.
• National Center for Teacher Residencies: Nonprofit that supports teacher residency programs in urban and rural communities to train culturally responsive educators. Similar focus on preparing diverse teachers through district-embedded partnerships and pathways.

Emerging players

• City Year: AmeriCorps program that places young adults in schools to support student outcomes and encourage careers in education. Comparable youth-development and education-career-pathway focus, though deployed via near-term service rather than long-term mentorship.

Broad incumbents

• National Education Association: Largest U.S. teachers' union and professional organization. Engages on teacher diversity, preparation, and retention issues central to TSTT's mission, though primarily through advocacy and policy rather than direct pipeline programming.
• American Federation of Teachers: Large national teachers' union representing educators and advocating for teacher quality, diversity, and working conditions. Operates in adjacent education workforce space and influences policy that affects TSTT's mission.

Others

• America Achieves: Nonprofit focused on education-to-workforce pathways and educator effectiveness research. Adjacent to TSTT through shared interest in educator diversity and student outcomes, though focuses more on policy and systems change than direct mentorship programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tstt1994
• Xx.com/tstthq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers