What We’re Talking About
Welcome to TFA’s Connection Blog. A space to bring you the latest news, resources, and events happening among the Teach For America Community. Here is what we’re talking about in April:
This month, Teach For America officially welcomes Aneesh Sohoni back home as he steps into the role of Chief Executive Officer on April 15th.
Aneesh is clear eyed that the next decade in education will require bold leadership, real urgency, and a national commitment to doing better by America’s kids. In his first few months as CEO, we can expect he’ll be talking a lot about:
- The power of collective leadership;
- Expanding access to the interventions we know work;
- Examples of community based progress that can be scaled to accelerate greater access to excellent educational opportunities for every student in the country; and
- Innovation that centers students, educators, and communities.
Meanwhile, Elisa Villanueva Beard is reflecting on her twenty-seven year career at TFA, and thinking about what comes next, personally and for the future of education. You can read more about what is on Elisa’s mind in the clips below.
Spotlights
Elisa’s “Closing Argument”
Outgoing CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard is reflecting on her 27-year career at TFA and thinking about what comes next, in life and in education. Read Elisa’s thoughts on the future of education on LinkedIn and catch up on her interview in EdWeek.
Learn & Earn: Get $100 to Fund a Classroom Project
To celebrate National Financial Literacy Month, Teach For America and The Jump$tart Coalition For Personal Financial Literacy are partnering to offer a $100 Donors Choose gift card to the first 100 educators who complete at least one module in the Jump$tart Financial Foundations for Educators series.
Share insights to help us offer the financial support and advice you need to navigate today’s economy and your future financial security
Teach For America is partnering with Horace Mann to equip educators with the financial knowledge and resources needed to navigate today’s complex economic landscape and plan for a secure future. As we shape this collaboration, we want to hear from you! Take a quick survey to share which financial topics matter most, so that we can provide the most relevant tools and guidance. Your input makes a difference!
Ignite Connection in Your Classroom and Receive a $500 Amazon Gift Card!
Are you a Teach For America alum passionate about fostering strong relationships in your school? Plus Wonder is excited to offer you an exclusive opportunity to bring the power of connection to your students and be rewarded for your efforts!
Inspired by our recent participation at the Teachers of Color and Allies Summit in Boulder, where Connection Architect Bảo Châu Nguyễnlộc Thomas and Program Director Lindsay Clark shared insights on building meaningful connections through concepts like “Magnetic Moments” and navigating “Friction,” we’ve seen firsthand the transformative impact of intentional relationship-building strategies in education.
You too can empower your students with essential skills using Plus Wonder’s Six Degrees of Connection™ framework.
Imagine using the “Magnetic Moments” concept to create intentional bonding activities that foster a more supportive classroom environment. Or perhaps you’ll utilize the “Celebrate Friction” toolkit to help students navigate disagreements and build stronger partnerships.
Here’s how you can make a difference and receive a $500 Amazon Gift Card:
- Become a Connection Architect: Sign up now to access our exclusive toolkits.
- Download & Implement Our Toolkits: Explore our resources and choose activities that resonate with your students’ needs and learning goals. Integrate them into your plans.
- Showcase Your Impact: Share your experience and the positive changes you’ve observed in your students through photos, videos, or written reflections.
- Share Your Impact with Us! Submit your application by the extended deadline: May 27th.
We’ve extended the deadline to give you more time to enhance your teaching practice, empower your students with vital connection skills, and receive a $500 Amazon Gift Card to further support your work.Click here to become a Connection Architect and get ready to apply today!
TFA in the News
- Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal: TFA Twin Cities Executive Director, Mikisha Nation, Among 2025 Women in Business Honorees
- PaperCity Magazine: TFA Houston’s Ignite Potential Luncheon Raised More Than $531K
- Frontdoors Magazine: TFA Board Member, Jenny Holsman Tetreault, Recognized for Community Leadership and Fundraising
- Women We Admire: TFA President and COO, Jemina Bernard, Listed Among Top 50 Women Chief Operating Officers of 2025
- KHON-TV: TFA Regional Field Executive SVP and TFA Hawai’i Executive Director, Jill Baldemor, Reflects on TFA’s Growth and Impact
- Frontdoors Magazine: TFA Phoenix Raises Over $1M and Applauds Educators at 2025 Celebration Dinner
- Baton Rouge Business Report: TFA Greater Baton Rouge Executive Director, Laura Vinsant, Among 2025 Influential Women in Business Honorees
- Rio Grande Guardian: TFA RGV Senior MD, Jonathan Stevens, Discusses Recruitment Innovation, AI Integration, and Community Impact in Education
*Note: In pursuit of our vision of One Day and our 2030 impact goal, Teach For America has built a broad coalition, and we work alongside over 300 communities across 37 states, the District of Columbia, and sovereign nations. To meet the needs of the children we serve and our participants, we partner with several other organizations and entities to establish a repertoire of resources and supports. While we review these resources, we recognize the content of links may shift, change, or be not fully aligned with our complete view, values, or vision. The inclusion of any link is intended to direct users to potentially useful information. Teach For America encourages users to exercise their own judgment when accessing linked websites.
Data & Research
The New Absenteeism
In the most recent national data from the 2022-2023 school year, 20 states reported that more than 30% of their students missed at least three weeks of school.
When a young person isn’t attending school, they aren’t learning. Chronic absenteeism has a major impact on student learning, which has a compounding effect throughout a student’s academic career.
Teach For America’s Reinvention Lab, the organization’s Research & Development team focused on the future of learning, conducted research on chronic absenteeism, surfacing the importance of listening to young people and understanding their experiences in order to effectively track and address the issues that keep them from consistently attending or engaging with school.
TFA’s Reinvention Lab published their research on contemporary causes of chronic absenteeism in FutureEd, The New Absenteeism: What Measuring Attendance Misses
What’s Happening Around April
April 4 Indiana University O’Neill Experience Day
April 8 School Redesign in Action Conference
April 15 Cultivating Community Conditions: Helping Your Change Take Root (with LEE)
April 23 Beyond Service: How to Make the Most of Your AmeriCorps Benefits
April 30 PowerHours Monthly Workshops – April
April 30 Career Panel Webinar: What can you do with your Language Skills?
Stay Connected
Whether you just joined the Corps or completed your service decades ago, there are many ways to find your fellow Corps members and friends and connect. We provide both an alumni directory for looking up your old friends and a career networking platform – TFA Connect – for when you want to expand your career network, and several networking events each year. You can even join the national TFA Alumni group on LinkedIn! Wherever you go, the TFA alumni network is accessible and ready to support you.
