For School Districts & Teacher Placement Agencies
Struggling to fill STEM, ESL, or Special Education vacancies?
English Quest sources, vets, and prepares experienced international teachers who are ready for a US classroom and ready for the visa process.
Since 2020
How English Quest started
English Quest started in 2020, when the pandemic sent demand for online English tutors through the roof. We supplied ESL teachers to schools and tutoring agencies scrambling to keep up.
When classrooms reopened, we didn't stop. We moved into placing in-person teachers, first in ESL, then expanding into STEM and Special Education as those shortages grew. Since then, we've placed hundreds of experienced, vetted teachers in schools and tutoring centres around the world.
Who's Behind English Quest
Founders with government, classroom, and research credentials
Jamie Martin
Co-Founder
Former Chief of Staff to the UK Education Secretary, a BCG consultant in its global education practice, and a two-time education founder in South Africa and the UK.
Sandeep Mallareddy
Co-Founder
Former Teach For India teacher, senior executive at the world's largest school chain, and adviser to education projects across India, Africa, and the Middle East.
Adam Woodage
Co-Founder
Former UK public school teacher, and holds a PhD in Education from the University of Oxford.
Alongside our founders, we have teams in India, South Africa, and the UK who source, vet, and prepare every teacher in our network.
Our Teacher Network
Nearly 1,000 teachers, ready for the J-1 process
We've built a database of nearly 1,000 certified, experienced teachers who want to teach in US public schools on a J-1 visa. They come primarily from the UK, South Africa, and India, and we're actively growing our pool of teachers who are also fluent in Spanish.
We focus on more experienced teachers, prioritising candidates in the roles hardest to fill nationally: STEM, ESL, and Special Education.
~1,000
Teachers in our network
3
Source countries: UK, South Africa, India
STEM · ESL · Special Education
The shortage areas we focus on
How We Vet Every Teacher
Five checks, before anyone sees a resume
Every teacher in our network goes through the same process before we put them forward for any role.
Step 01
Credentials and experience
Every teacher has several years of classroom experience and holds a teaching qualification equivalent to the standard required for a J-1 visa. Most states require a certification exam before a teacher can start, and we prepare every candidate specifically for that exam, not just for the interview.
Step 02
Family and visa profile
We assess each teacher's personal and family profile for the details that make J-1 visa success likely, not just possible.
Step 03
Cultural fit
We test for cultural suitability to living and teaching in the US specifically, not just teaching ability in general.
Step 04
Honest expectations
Before anyone is put forward, we make sure they understand both the opportunities and the real challenges of the job.
Step 05
Role-specific re-validation
When a specific opportunity comes up, we re-check that teacher's fit for that geography and school culture, usually after speaking at length with several candidates.
Why Partner With Us
Four reasons districts and agencies come to us first
Speed, without cutting corners
We pride ourselves on how quickly we can respond to a gap in your teacher pool, backed by a network we've already vetted.
Lower risk of a mismatch
We check a teacher's fit again for each specific role, ensuring high success and multi-year retention rates after placement.
Candid relationships, not a transaction
We build deep, direct relationships with both our teachers and our partners, and we're upfront when something isn't a fit.
A sourcing team on three continents
Our teams in India, South Africa, and the UK are actively sourcing and vetting teachers, including a growing pool fluent in Spanish.
Since
2020
Founded during the pandemic, placing teachers ever since.
Track Record
Hundreds of teachers placed
In schools and tutoring centres around the world, with the same rigour we bring to teacher preparation.
Approach
Same process, every placement
No generic placements. We take the same care with a district or agency as we do with a school.
For Districts & Placement Partners
Ready to fill the role properly the first time?
Whether you're a district filling a role directly, or a placement and mobility organisation looking for a sourcing partner, tell us what you need and we'll walk you through how it would work.
Schedule a Free Call