Teachable moment It would be good if grant-makers could aid a program facing federal cuts that sends teachers to challenged schools.

For two decades, Teach for America has sent thousands of top college graduates to teach in some of the country's toughest schools. This year, it put 350 teachers in 132 Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington schools.

The program recruits recent college graduates to teach for at last two years. Their mission is to bridge the achievement gap between students in poor and more affluent schools.

They fill a critical need, replacing teachers who quit, retire, or leave in midyear. They accept the most challenging classroom assignments and help bridge perennial teacher shortages.

But the program, one of the nation's largest providers of teachers in low-income neighborhoods, could face serious cuts in federal funding next year.

President Obama's budget would eliminate direct funding for the program in fiscal 2011 and switch it to a system of competitive grants. Although Teach for America should easily qualify for a grant, it could be strapped for funds for a year until the new program is created by Congress.

Without proper funding, a 10 percent cut in Teach for America's teaching corps could occur this fall, with even more staff losses in the following school year.

That would be a huge blow to districts like Philadelphia, which use these nontraditional teachers for hard-to-staff classrooms.

Teach for America has requested $50 million in federal funding, more than double what it received this year, to expand the program. It's unlikely to get that amid budget cuts in this economy. But the program shouldn't end up on life-support either.

This would be good time for corporations and foundations that support public education to step up and help bridge Teach for America's budget gap.

Some studies credit the Teach for America corps with increasing test scores. Many of its participants change their initial career choices, become certified teachers, and remain in education after fulfilling their commitment.

American education needs the best and brightest minds to teach children, especially in challenged environments. It would be a shame to see a program that helps to accomplish that wither from lack of support.