Who We Are

Preparing educators to teach in ways that uplift and reflect the communities they serve.

TEECH is building a future where early-career teachers committed to equity and community-connected practice don’t just survive in the profession, they thrive .

Our work began with a bold vision: to prepare a new generation of culturally responsive educators through immersive, community-rooted learning experiences in their preservice training. But the reality quickly became clear—preservice pipelines alone aren’t enough.

Current research and our own pilot findings confirm that early-career teachers are shaped most powerfully by the school cultures and professional environments they enter. When those spaces lack mentoring, community, or alignment with their values, even the best-trained teachers burn out, leave the profession, or drift away from from culturally responsive practice.

TEECH fills this gap. We support early-career educators (preservice and induction/years 1–5) with a vibrant third space outside their districts—a place to connect with like-minded peers, build lasting relationships with community organizations, deepen their CRT practice, and receive the holistic, affirming support they need to stay in the profession. With a multi-year model that includes immersive summer learning, school-year workshops and coaching, and a rigorous community-connected educator certification, TEECH addresses both retention and professional growth. We believe educator growth and sustainability is a shared responsibility, and we work alongside schools to build the supportive structures educators deserve.

Our Mission

Our mission is to develop and retain the next generation of community-centered, culturally responsive teachers.

Our Vision

We envision a diverse educator workforce that reflects, honors, and uplifts the communities they serve—ensuring every student is empowered, affirmed, and thriving in a culture of excellence.

Our Core Values

These are the values that guide our work.

EQUITY

We challenge inequitable systems and uplift the cultural knowledge, histories, and strengths of the communities we serve.

COMMUNITY

We root our work in authentic relationships, shared wisdom, and partnerships that sustain educators and strengthen schools.

CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

We honor and reflect the lived experiences and identities of students, their communities, and educators, creating learning environments that center diverse ways of knowing and being.

EXCELLENCE

We embrace a holistic view of excellence that goes beyond academics to include social, emotional, moral, and cultural dimensions of learning—ensuring all students thrive in every aspect of their development

JOY & HEALING

We center joy, wellbeing, and collective care as essential to educator sustainability, student success, and community resilience.

Our Team

Our Founder

Muhammad Khalifa, PhD

Dr. Muhammad Khalifa is a professor of educational administration and Executive Director for Urban Education Initiatives at the Ohio State University. Before coming to OSU, Dr. Khalifa held the Robert Beck Endowed Professorship in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Having worked as a public school teacher and administrator in Detroit, Dr. Khalifa's research examines how urban school leaders enact culturally responsive leadership practices. His latest book, Culturally Responsive School Leadership (2018) was published by Harvard Education Press. He has led equity audits in U.S. schools as a way to reduce achievement and discipline gaps, and he is the first to develop and use online Equity Audits for schools. In addition to his urban work in the U.S., Dr. Khalifa has engaged in school leadership reform in African and Asian countries, including a recent U.N. project in East Africa.

Our Executive Director

Kandace Logan

Prior to joining the team at TEECH, Kandace was the Executive Director of Dreamline, a school-based mentoring program located in k-12 schools across the Twin Cities Metro area and Greater Minnesota. Before leading Dreamline, Kandace worked in Minneapolis Public Schools for ten years. She held numerous progressive roles with the district; her last role was serving as the Executive Director of Equity, Integration and Social Emotional Learning. A former education consultant and classroom teacher, she has traveled the country facilitating workshops and coaching educators on creating positive and affirming learning environments with their students.