Rick Hess: You took over Teach For America a year ago. Over time, TFA has been up and down, beloved and despised. Where do things stand today?
Aneesh Sohoni: Teach For America’s goal is still to make sure every kid has access to an excellent education. We’re focused on three things. First, there’s real fatigue in education—a lot of civic leaders are skeptical progress is even possible anymore. We’re working to reinspire belief by bringing talented young people into communities to improve student outcomes. Second, we’re still focused on recruiting the next generation of educators. We think TFA can be the best first job in the AI economy, given the mix of leadership and human skills we help build. Third, we’re building a talent pipeline that’s fluent in emerging technology and knows how to use it responsibly to deepen human-centered learning.
Hess: What was your experience like as a TFA classroom teacher?
Sohoni: My TFA experience almost 17 years ago is why I’m still in education today. I taught at an alternative high school in Minneapolis, working with 18- to 21-year-olds, the point at which students age out of the system. Most of my students were of East African descent, many from families who’d fled the Somali civil war. We had a lot in common—similar age, children of immigrants, educated in the Minneapolis area—but the opportunities we’d been given were drastically different. That experience shaped my views on education and opportunity and made me committed to doing this work for life.
Hess: What’s struck you about the education landscape since you’ve taken on this role?
Sohoni: In my travels, the biggest barrier to progress I’ve seen is a lack of belief in what’s possible. That’s understandable. The last decade hasn’t been strong for student outcomes. But we’ve seen what’s possible before. I recently met with Harvard economist Tom Kane, who called the gains in national student outcomes from 1990 to 2015 “the greatest social change effort of our time.” Take Louisiana, where TFA alumni have stayed and taken on leadership roles across the system, helping, as a reporter for the Times-Picayune put it, “shape policy and build programs that endure.” That sustained investment has meant clearer priorities and stronger outcomes; the state is now among the closest to fully recovering from pandemic learning loss.
Hess: Looking back, if you had to point to one success story that captures the promise of TFA, what comes to mind?
Sohoni: I think about the collective impact of our nearly 70,000 alumni. One story stands out: Over the past two decades, the District of Columbia has been one of the fastest-improving urban school systems in the country, with steady progress in math and reading. TFA alumni have been part of that at every level—as teachers, principals, system leaders, school chancellors, and deputy mayors of education. What makes this story powerful isn’t any single role or moment but the sustained effort. That’s the promise of TFA.
Hess: Let’s flip it around. If there’s one development that you regard as an obvious disappointment or misstep on the part of TFA, what comes to mind?
Sohoni: It can be hard to stay focused on the work only we’re positioned to do. Two areas where we could better support our leaders are recruitment and alumni engagement.
Hess: All right, let me ask that another way. There was a period when TFA’s recruitment numbers plunged. What happened, and what do those numbers look like today?
Sohoni: Getting students’ attention on campus is hard. There’s a strong funnel into finance, consulting, and tech, while teaching is less visible. That, plus declining teacher satisfaction, a contentious national dialogue around education, and more financially attractive options, all contributed to the dip. We’ve focused on positioning teaching as a launchpad for purpose-driven leaders. In an international study, nine in 10 Gen Zers say purpose matters to their job satisfaction, and we’re helping them see teaching as a meaningful place to start. It’s working: Over the past three years, our incoming corps size is up 43 percent.
