We Believe Teaching
Shouldn't Feel Like Survival

We're on a mission to build a system that actually supports the educators inside it.

87K+

educators in our community

Improved Retention

Administrators report stronger morale,
greater trust, and improved retention
after TDI Support Sessions

95%

of teachers saved planning time

How It Started

Teachers Deserve It was born from burnout.

We all knew the feeling... Walking into another teacher institute day (or teacher work day) and you're greeted with donuts. As you settle into the auditorium for sessions, you're not surprised to see a full agenda, with limited breaks, and a 45-minute lunch. The topics? Ones that have nothing to do with what you actually needed in your classrooms. Hours of "someday you'll use this" and "you'll need time for outside planning."

None of it helped us be better for our students on Monday.

That system was not built with teachers in mind. TDI was - with teachers at its core, in every decision we make, building a movement that's changing education from the inside out.

School leaders noticed too. Principals started asking: how do we bring this to our whole building? How do we keep our best teachers from leaving?

Meet the Founder

Rae Hughart

Rae Hughart

CEO & Founder

Rae Hughart is an award-winning educator, internationally recognized speaker, and bestselling author dedicated to transforming how we support teachers.

After experiencing burnout firsthand, she founded Teachers Deserve It to create sustainable professional development that respects educators' time while delivering real results.

Watch Rae's Story

TEDx Talk: Why Teachers Deserve Better

This talk has inspired thousands of educators to rethink professional development.

The Story Behind Our Symbol

When I was teaching 6th grade, I ran a mastery learning classroom. Thirty-six students working through content at their own pace, all active at the same time. I needed a fast way to check off their work. To initial that I'd seen it, that they were good to move on.

So I'd scribble a quick lowercase h. Hughart. My last name, fast and messy, on paper after paper after paper.

Year over year, it got messier. The h barely looked like a letter anymore. But my students always knew exactly what it was. That little scribble meant I see you. You got it. Keep going.

It showed up everywhere. On their progress checks, their accomplishments, their big moments and their small ones. Not a grade. Not a checkmark. Just a quick, human sign-off that said I was paying attention and I wasn't going anywhere.

That's where our symbol comes from. My messy, real, teacher shorthand with a circle swept around it. One continuous stroke that never lifts off the paper. The circle is the part that says I've got you. I circled back. The way a teacher wraps care around a student without making a big deal about it.

One stroke says two things: I see you. I've got you.

You'll notice this mark when you enter our portals. The Creators Studio, the Leadership Dashboard, the Learning Hub. A line enters the screen, forms the mark, holds for just a moment, then unravels and carries you in. It was always just one line passing through. The same line that wrote "I see you" becomes the line that takes you where you need to go.

That felt right for what we do. We're not here to sit on a shelf. We're here to move through your practice and leave something behind that matters.

The TDI Blueprint

1

Respect Teachers' Time

PD that fits into real life, not consumes it

2

Deliver Real Strategies

Practical tools that work Monday morning

3

Prioritize Wellness

Sustainable teaching starts with supported teachers

4

Measure What Matters

Real impact, not just attendance sheets

Built for District Success:

Staff RetentionCulture BuildingMeasurable ROIScalable PDTeacher Morale

We stand behind our work with a 30-day turnaround guarantee on custom requests for partner schools.

Our Impact So Far

87,000+

Educators in Our Community

21

States with Partner Schools

65%

Implementation Rate

vs. 10% industry average

4.8/5

Average Course Rating

The industry average for PD classroom transfer is just 5-10% (Joyce & Showers, 2002).
Our partners average 65% because TDI is built for Monday morning, not "someday."

The Team That Makes It Possible

A passionate group of educators, strategists, and creatives
committed to transforming professional development.

Kristin Williams

Chief Marketing Officer

Shapes the voice and visibility of TDI, turning eight years of cross-industry marketing expertise into meaningful connections with educators nationwide.

Omar Garcia

Chief Financial Officer

Drives financial strategy and operational systems that allow TDI to scale sustainably while delivering measurable ROI for every partner district.

RP

Rachel Patragas

Director of Creative Solutions

JF

Jim Ford

Business Development Coordinator

OS

Olivia Smith

Executive Communication Coordinator

Content Creators and Contributors

The educators in our community share something.

They're done pretending burnout is a badge of honor. They're practical optimists who believe there's a smarter way to do this work. They're still here because they still believe in teaching. They just refuse to destroy themselves doing it.

Ready to See What TDI Can Do for You?

Whether you're a teacher looking for strategies that actually work, or a leader who wants PD your team will thank you for, we're here to help.