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 August:
TFA Alumni Taking the Lead
This month, TFA alumni are leading the conversation on education across the country. From a feature in Education Week on how Gen Z is reimagining the teaching profession, to advocacy for AmeriCorps funding, high-impact tutoring, and community-driven innovation, their voices are shaping what’s next for students and schools.
Support the thought leadership of TFA alumni and staff by voting for their SXSW EDU proposals. These sessions spotlight real solutions and bold ideas that are shaping the future of education. Voting runs August 5 to 24. Vote at the link below and email us at communications@teachformaerica.org to add your session.
Spotlights
Save the Date: Our 35th Anniversary
“We’re celebrating, 35 years of purpose, people, and progress and we want you there! Spread the word about this event that will serve as a catalyzing moment in education by sharing with TFA alumni in your network and posting on your social channels.
Rural School Leadership Academy Applications Now Open – Apply by September 15th!
The Rural School Leadership Academy (RSLA) is accepting applications for the 2025-2026. RSLA is a fully sponsored leadership development fellowship that will run from October 2025-May 2026. This program specifically develops and connects rising rural school educators and leaders. Program highlights include:
- Virtual Learning Cycles: Engage in dynamic, practice-based sessions rooted in five core leadership pillars
- Rural School Visits: Travel to rural communities across the country to visit innovative schools and connect with local educators
- Career Development Support: In your first year after the fellowship, you’ll have the opportunity to pursue university-level certifications through partner institutions.
- Peer Collaboration & Network Activation: Throughout the fellowship, you’ll engage in cross-region collaboration—co-developing solutions, sharing tools, and reflecting on common leadership challenges.
We welcome:
- Track 1 – Aspiring Leaders: Teachers seeking to grow into adult-facing leadership roles within the next 1–3 years.
- Track 2 – Emerging Leaders: Educators in roles such as APs, Deans, or Coaches actively preparing for principalship.
- Track 3 – Current Principals: School leaders or superintendents looking to sustain and expand their leadership in place.
We welcome school-based teams to apply together. Each individual must submit a separate application. We expect full participation in each learning cycle including virtual and in-person learning engagements.
The program is offered at no cost to participants.
Applications open on Thursday, July 24th. The final application deadline is September 15, 2025. Learn more and apply at www.teachforamerica.org/RSLA.
Prospective applicants interested in learning more about the program and application process are encouraged to attend one of the upcoming information webinars:
- Tuesday, August 5th at 8pm ET/ 7pm CT/ 6pm MT/ 5pm PT/ 2pm HT
- Tuesday, August 5th at 10:30pm ET/ 9:30pm CT/ 8:30pm MT/7:30pm PT/4:30pm HT
- Wednesday, August 13th at 7pm ET/6pm CT/ 5pm MT/4pm PT/1pm HT
Click here to nominate a great candidate or register to attend an upcoming information session.If you have any questions about the Rural School Leadership Academy please feel free to review our website or reach out to RSLA Program Director, Casey DeFord at casey.deford@teachforamerica.org.
TFA in the News
- Aneesh Sohoni marks 100 Days as CEO
- Can GenZ Be Enticed to Teach? WE think so!
- TFA Michigan Executive Director, Armen Hratchian, Highlights Retention-Focused Strategy at Mackinac Policy Conference | Michigan Business Network
- TFA Southern California Executive Director, Lida Jennings, Urges California to Back High-Impact Tutoring and Fund Future Teachers | LA School Report
- The Reinvention Lab at TFA Recognized for Advancing Educator-Led Innovation | Salzburg Global Seminar
- TFA RGV Marks Fourth Year of Ignite Fellowship with Reported Gains in Tutoring and Mentorship | Texas Border Business
- TFA Alum, Former TFA Community Learning Dir., & TFA Tulsa Board Member, Mikeale Campbell, Urges Tulsa to Support Students In and Out of the Classroom | Tulsa World
- TFA Alum and TFA Metro Atlanta Chief of Staff, Gloria Brown, Urges Protection of AmeriCorps Funding for Future Teachers | Word in Black
*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 July
Stay tuned for upcoming events!
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.
