AUSTIN, TX, February 20, 2026 — Education nonprofit and leadership development organization Teach For America (TFA) will headline SXSW EDU 2026, taking place March 9–12, bringing national focus to what is working in public education and what is newly possible for students, educators, and communities.

As Teach For America marks its 35th anniversary, the organization is focused on strengthening the conditions that drive long-term student success: building belief in what is possible for students, helping young people connect education to purpose and long-term opportunity, and expanding the capacity of educators and systems to deliver excellent, relevant learning experiences. Across more than 300 rural and urban communities, TFA works with partners to strengthen teacher pipelines, expand leadership pathways, and help communities design learning environments that prepare students to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

The centerpiece of TFA’s participation will be a featured session, Reasons to Believe: Reclaiming Optimism in Public Education, featuring Teach For America CEO Aneesh Sohoni and NewSchools Venture Fund CEO Frances Messano. The session will explore why optimism is both justified and essential to the future of public education, highlighting evidence-based instruction, emerging AI-enabled tools for educators, and new models of teaching and school design improving student outcomes across the country.

The session will be accredited by the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) for educators interested in receiving continuing professional education (CPE) credit hours by attending your session.

“For Teach For America, optimism is not about denying the real challenges facing students, educators, or communities. It is about the belief that a stronger future is possible for public education and the responsibility to help build that future alongside the people closest to students,” said Sohoni. “Across classrooms and communities, we see every day what becomes possible when belief, purpose, and capacity are aligned. This is a moment that calls for leaders willing to invest in what is working and expand what is possible for young people.”

“Optimism isn’t wishful thinking; it’s confidence built on results,” said Messano. “We see educators and founders designing schools , emerging tools, and student-centered models in ways that are measurably improving outcomes. The work ahead is to ensure those bright spots don’t stay local, but scale to reach far more students.”

Across SXSW EDU, Teach For America staff and partners will lead sessions and experiences focused on the future of teaching and learning, educator leadership, and how schools and systems can evolve to better meet the needs of students and communities. These sessions reflect TFA’s work alongside educators, school systems, and community leaders nationwide to strengthen learning outcomes and expand opportunity. You can find these sessions and TFA alumni-led sessions here.

March 9

Leading the Conversation: Thought Leadership for Impact
Speakers: Natalie Laukitis and Reshma Melwani
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CT
Austin Marriott Downtown – Room 405

Trending in Ed: March Madness of Learning Trends 2026
Speaker: Sunanna Chand
9:00 AM – 9:45 AM CT
Austin Marriott Downtown – Waterloo Ballroom 3

Teaching in the AI Era: What Still Matters?
Speaker: Darin Lim Yankowitz
9:00 AM – 9:20 AM CT
Westin Austin Downtown – Paramount III

The AI Time Machine: Use AI to Build the Future of Learning
Speaker: Mike Yates
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM CT
Austin Marriott Downtown – Rooms 604–605
CPE Credit Available

From Interest to Impact: Board Service Meet Up
Speakers: Dr. Barbara Logan Smith and Candelario Cervantez
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CT
Austin Marriott Downtown – Room 405

March 10

Reimagining Learning by Building AI Support for Your Context
Speakers: Mike Yates, Mera Dougherty, Jasmine Fusilier-Jeffires
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM CT
Austin Marriott Downtown – Rooms 604–605

Reason to Believe: Reclaiming Optimism in Public Education
Speaker: Aneesh Sohoni
2:00pm – 2:45pm CT
Hilton Austin Downtown - Salon FG
CPE Credit Available

Next Gen Educators: Youth Leading the Future of Learning
Speaker: Izzy Fitzgerald
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM CT
Hilton Austin Downtown – Salon E
CPE Credit Available

March 11

Removing Barriers to Attendance Together
Speaker: Damon Carraby
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CT
Westin Austin Downtown – Strait

The Neuroscience of Belonging in Learning Systems
Speaker: Dr. Barbara Logan Smith
9:30 AM – 9:50 AM CT
Westin Austin Downtown – Paramount III

Teach For America is also proud to serve as a sponsor of the SXSW EDU volunteer t-shirts, helping introduce the organization’s updated brand identity to thousands of education leaders, innovators, and practitioners attending the conference.

While in Austin, Teach For America will partner with its Texas regional teams to host an alumni and partner happy hour, bringing together educators, alumni leaders, and community partners working to expand opportunity for students across the state.

For 35 years, Teach For America has connected young people with opportunities to lead with purpose in classrooms and communities. Today, the organization is focused on strengthening educator pipelines, expanding leadership pathways, and helping communities build education systems that prepare students for success in a rapidly changing world.

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.

About SXSW EDU

The SXSW EDU® Conference & Festival is a reflection of the world’s most critical social issues as seen through the lens of education. This year’s event will bring together the learner, the practitioner, the entrepreneur, and the visionary to share their groundbreaking stories, tackle complex issues, and build reimagined paths forward. As a community of diverse people who are united around a like-minded vision for the future, SXSW EDU serves as a place for attendees to renew their purpose in practice from both a personal and professional perspective. It is a place to reinforce the core principles of teaching and learning as well as an opportunity to express your creativity and passion for education. Join the passionate and innovative community at SXSW EDU, March 9–12, 2026.

Contact:
Natalie Haskins Laukitis
225-931-7347
natalie.laukitis@teachforamerica.org