National education, business, policy and philanthropy leaders join the TFA community in Las Vegas this October to discuss the future of education. Performers and advocates Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Common and Jay Ellis help mark the milestone.

LAS VEGAS, September 8, 2026 – Teach For America (TFA) will mark 35 years of expanding access to excellent education for children nationwide this October at its 35th Anniversary Summit at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, a community where TFA has been partnering with local schools for over two decades. The event, the first TFA convening of its kind in over a decade, will bring together more than 7,000 former and current program corps members, funders, staff, and partners to mark 35 years of a broad coalition of leaders who have built purpose and community in the interest of what's best for children. Attendees will celebrate the impact of TFA’s network, discuss the work ahead in education, and advance a shared vision for expanding access to excellent education for every student in the United States.

From October 2-3, attendees will participate in a wide range of discussions and immersive experiences to exchange ideas about what’s working in education, leadership, civic engagement, and other cross-sector fields to grow opportunities for children and communities. This nationwide gathering offers a window into the state of American education, how Teach For America is cultivating the next generation of leaders, and how educators are navigating today’s changing landscape to prepare students for the future.

Grammy-winning artist Ms. Lauryn Hill and award-winning artist and activist Common will perform. Featured speakers will include actor Jay Ellis; Peloton instructor and TFA alumna Jess Sims (Houston '10); John King, chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY) and former U.S. Secretary of Education; and other notable TFA alumni and changemakers, including school board members, superintendents, and business executives. Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, Emmy, and Tony award-winning songwriter, actor, director, producer and Hamilton Education Program (EduHam) co-creator Lin-Manuel Miranda will be interviewed live for a special episode of the EdTech Insiders podcast, where he’ll discuss his days as a classroom teacher, the importance of the arts in education, and how EduHam became a vehicle for educational enrichment, bringing history alive for young audiences through the arts.

Additional featured speakers include Teach For America alumni Mayor Mike Johnston (Mississippi Delta ‘97), mayor of Denver; Adeel Khan (Metro Atlanta ‘10), founder and CEO of MagicSchool AI; Kira Orange Jones (South Louisiana ‘00), chief executive officer of Teach Plus. They will be joined by education leaders including Julie Jackson, co-chief executive officer of Uncommon Schools; and Carey M. Wright, Maryland state superintendent of schools, who will share insights on leadership, innovation, public policy, and the future of education. Additional voices include actress, singer, and comedian Tisha Campbell; Sandra Douglas Morgan, president of the Las Vegas Raiders; and Jennifer Azzi, Basketball Hall of Famer, former coach and athlete, and business leader, bringing perspectives that span entertainment, sports, business, and civic leadership.

Breakout sessions with speakers will center around three themes:

• Leadership: How leaders navigate complexity, build coalitions, and drive lasting change.
• Investing In What Works: What's working in communities and how to scale it.
• Reimagining Education Now & Next: How systems change in education happens, from classrooms to policy to philanthropy.

The summit will also recognize distinguished alumni whose leadership reflects the values that have shaped Teach For America for 35 years. Nominated by the community, these honors celebrate alumni leading with courage, service, and impact. In addition, the summit will feature an EdTech pitch competition, where TFA alumni founders will have the opportunity to pitch and receive funding for innovative education technology products. The summit will also feature an experiential showcase of emerging learning models and innovations and a "Book Nook" in collaboration with the National Association of Black Bookstores, which is modeled after the much-loved school book fair, but tailored for the adult educator and alumni community.

Backed by generous sponsors including Presenting Sponsor Ripple, the Summit will also welcome more than 150 exhibitors, among them Kode With Klossy, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation/Welcoming Schools, and Relay/GSE + the Teaching Lab, creating opportunities for attendees to connect with organizations shaping the future of learning and opportunity.

Summit attendees will also hear from three decades of Teach For America’s leaders. CEO Aneesh Sohoni (Twin Cities ‘09), TFA founder Wendy Kopp, and former TFA CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard (Phoenix ‘98) will offer insight into how TFA grew from an audacious idea in a college thesis to a network of more than 72,000 people who have participated in TFA, become changemakers, and are helping shape the future of public education in this country.

“For 35 years, Teach For America has brought together people who believe in the extraordinary potential of every child and the power of education to shape a stronger future,” said Aneesh Sohoni, Chief Executive Officer of Teach For America. “This Summit is an opportunity to learn from what our teachers, students, alumni, and community partners have accomplished together while being clear-eyed about the challenges and opportunities we face. From classrooms to boardrooms, school systems to startups, our network is working across generations and sectors to reimagine what it takes for young people to learn, lead, and thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

Since its founding, Teach For America has recruited and developed more than 72,000 leaders from around the country to serve as classroom teachers and expand educational opportunities for students. TFA’s network of alumni has continued to make a difference as strong advocates for education, bringing skills and insights from their classroom experiences to a variety of influential fields including education administration, policymaking, health, business and technology. This year's summit will provide opportunities for alumni to share their experiences from inside and outside the world of education to help leaders navigate and tackle the pressing challenges facing students, teachers, and their communities.

"When I proposed the idea of Teach For America over 35 years ago in my undergraduate thesis, I imagined that our most promising young leaders committing two years to teach in low-income communities would create needed change for children, communities, and our country," said Wendy Kopp, TFA's founder and Teach For All CEO. "This work was always about what could begin during those two years and continue every year thereafter. Since then, more than 70,000 people have made this two-year commitment here in the U.S., and another 50,000 have done so through similar organizations that make up the Teach For All network around the world. For most of them, this has become the work of a lifetime. This gathering is a powerful reminder of the long term commitment required to make sure that all children have the opportunity of an education that equips them to shape a better future for themselves and all of us."

For more information about the 35th Anniversary Summit, visit events.teachforamerica.org/35years. To request a press pass, contact Rachel.Tennenbaum@TeachForAmerica.org.

About Teach For America

Teach For America works in partnership with communities across the country to reach One Day when every child has access to an excellent education. Founded in 1990, Teach For America finds, develops, and supports a growing network of leaders who expand opportunity for children from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that impact a young person’s education. Today, Teach For America is a force of over 70,000 alumni, corps members, and Ignite fellows working in pursuit of profound change so that one day every child has the opportunity to learn, lead, thrive, and co-create a future filled with possibility. Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Threads.