Breakthrough Collaborative is a national leader in educational equity.
Inspiring students. Developing teachers. Together, we are Breakthrough.**NEW REPORT** HOW A CORPS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS
CLOSES OPPORTUNITY GAPS & DIVERSIFIES THE TEACHER PIPELINE
Our Priority: Educational Equity
ALL STUDENTS DESERVE SUPPORT ON THEIR PATH TO SUCCESS
Inequity in education persists nationwide. Our model addresses opportunity gaps for students, beginning in the middle school years, and introduces college students to careers in teaching as we seek to build a diverse and talented educator workforce.
National Scale with a Regional Approach
We mobilize the talent of students from over 250 colleges and universities to meet the educational needs of motivated, underrepresented youth from coast to coast.
Each year Breakthrough connects 10,000 students with 1,100 college-aged Teaching Fellows in 24 cities across the country. Learn more.
Get to know Breakthrough Video
Discover Breakthrough’s unique program model in this brief video.
The Breakthrough Impact
STUDENTS
6X MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE
Breakthrough students are six times more likely to graduate from college than their national peer average. 75% are first-generation college-goers.
TEACHING FELLOWS
76% PURSUE CAREERS IN EDUCATION
After receiving real-world, relevant teaching experiences, 3 out of 4 Breakthrough teaching fellows, 60% of whom are people of color, enter the education profession.
EDUCATION LANDSCAPE
40+ Year History
For over 40 years, we have been creating systems-level change, one student and teacher at a time. Our proven program is delivered through 24 affiliates and evidenced in a growing body of data to support the model.
THE BREAKTHROUGH SONG
“I’m looking for a breakthrough… a reason to believe that I can dream”

Chris Lee is an actor, musician, and Hamilton musical star, but first he was a Breakthrough Atlanta student. Lee recently penned the Official Breakthrough Song and recorded it with a group of Breakthrough Atlanta Scholars. Lee is a member of our Breakthrough National Ambassador Council and continues to give back to the Breakthrough community with this time and talents. Read his story.
Alumni Stories & Breakthrough Moments
Breakthrough Reflections: In Their Own Words
Read the latest News from the Breakthrough Blog

Breakthrough’s scalable solution to pandemic learning loss: College Students stepping in as Teaching Fellows
Timely reflections from Breakthrough Collaborative's National CEO Elissa Vanaver Read insights from our newly-released White Paper titled INSPIRING STUDENTS, DEVELOPING TEACHERS: How a Corps of College Students Closes Opportunity Gaps & Diversifies the Teacher Pipeline. My hopes are growing for a post-pandemic world that brings more equity to the learning environment for all students. The...