The brutal reality is that all too often, rural (and many times urban) schools end up being staffed by ineffective teachers because they were the only ones willing to go there. The top talent ends up pursuing better-paid jobs in suburbs or the relatively few cities that pay their public school teachers a decent salary. It’s similar to the lack of top medical talent in developing nations that led to the creation of Doctors Without Borders.

One of the reasons TFA has been successful is admittedly one of the things that has made it a lightening rod for criticism: it has branded itself as “elite.” This in turn attracts those who see themselves that way – and who, after succeeding in a rigorous selection process, have proven themselves to be.

Far from ensuring low-income populations are taught by the mediocre, TFA and its international peers are working to ensure that our best and brightest are drawn to teaching in underserved communities. Even if they do not pursue teaching as a career, they will bring their awareness and understanding of the problems facing underserved schools wherever they do ultimately land. And if that happens to be at a major corporation with a large philanthropic division, would that really be a problem?