Photo courtesy of CTFF
The California Teaching Fellows Foundation (CTFF) has announced a new organizational mission after more than 25 years of supporting future educators and youth development across the Central Valley.
The Fresno-based nonprofit unveiled its new ‘Elevate + Equip = Empower’ framework, aimed at strengthening educators through paid field experience, professional development and support services that prepare the next generation of teachers.
CTFF’s updated mission is to “elevate and equip educators to empower youth, communities and themselves.” The organization says the new initiative reflects its commitment to developing qualified educators who serve students across the region.
“Our new mission reflects the reality of our work and the comprehensive system of support we’ve built to support our Teaching Fellows, future educators,” said Mike Snell, CEO of CTFF. “When we advocate for our staff and give them the tools they need, the result is empowerment, not just for the educators themselves, but for the tens of thousands of students they mentor every day.”
CTFF supports more than 4,500 Teaching Fellows who serve 50,000 students daily across six Central Valley counties. Fellows receive more than 40 hours of paid professional development and an average of 800 hours of paid field experience annually.
The organization also provides life coaching, academic coaching and financial aid support. During the 2024-2025 fiscal year, CTFF awarded 90 Fresno State scholarships and 60 First-Generation scholarships.
The mission launch follows several recent honors, including a Best of Central California Gold Award for education services, the Fresno Compact Business-Education Partnership Award and the Fresno Chamber of Commerce Community Champion of the Year Award.