“For us to expand into a new region really three things have to be true. One, we need a pathway to ensure that our teachers are certified. Two, we need to ensure that we have placements for those teachers with partner school districts and charter schools. And three, we have to raise the operating costs of the program. What these investments do is really move us a big step forward," Wang said.

 He says the group expects to have potential districts nailed down by early March.

 Governor John Kasich has been a fan of Teacher for America. But the research on how Teacher for America participants compare graduates from traditional teacher preparation program is mixed. For more, visit our partners StateImpact Ohio.