This document discusses the need for Teach For America alumni to work more collectively and co-own a theory of action for creating large-scale change in their local education ecosystems. It notes that most regional visions are not truly co-owned by alumni and do not describe clear priorities for which levers to pull. The document suggests that greater alumni collaboration and involvement in developing a shared understanding of priorities could empower alumni to work together more effectively to impact their communities at a systemic level. It highlights comments from alumni in different regions who see potential in leveraging the collective talent and voice of alumni to advance education equity. In closing, it encourages readers to keep working to build shared ownership of a regional theory of action among alumni.

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Are We Poised to Make
Large-Scale Change?
Co-owning a system-wide theory of action

2. 222
“Teach For America has been
here for X years, yet the
needle for kids hasn’t
moved.”
Does the prospect of this statement haunt your dreams?

3. 333
If we keep doing what we’re
doing, will we see a different
result?
This ought to lead us to ask:

4. 444
Making big change requires (at least) three things:
People working
in concert
Prioritized levers
Clear, compelling
vision

5. 555
We have real work to do to ensure our visions are contextualized,
but vision has been our regions’ bread and butter.
People working
in concert
Prioritized levers
Clear, compelling
vision

6. 666
We take a “let
1,000 flowers
bloom” approach.
Our alums share a belief
in a specific set of levers
that must be pulled in
our ecosystem to reach
One Day in our region
(e.g. a “theory of
action”).
On a spectrum of clarity about high-priority levers,
where is your region? Where do you want to be?*
COMPLETE
LAISSEZ-FAIRE
COMPLETE
FOCUS
* Note: There is real value in encouraging innovation and dialogue about the levers.
People
Levers
Vision

7. 777
Most regional visions and
strategies do not describe a
“theory of action” for their
education ecosystem, instead
articulating a broad vision and
then specific TFA priorities.
Where are we right now?
What would be different if there were greater clarity about the
levers to pull to create large-scale change in your local
ecosystem?
Vision for children in
the region
Specific TFA initiatives (e.g.
growing our corps size,
adding a regional institute)
Typical approach
People
Levers
Vision

8. 8
A tale of two neighboring states: Idaho and Nevada
Recent policy changes are about to empower decision-
making at the school level and funnel funding to
schools with students living in poverty.
The state demonstrates a lack of consciousness around
racial disparities in educational outcomes – and a policy
environment that reflects that indifference.
These two regions require two very different “theories of
action” to illuminate for alumni where they might orient their
efforts individually and collectively.

9. 999
To what extent are your
alumni poised to work
in concert with one
another?COMPLETE
ISOLATION
TOTAL
FAMILIARITY
Our people feel
like “strangers in
the night”
Our people are
deeply connected
to one another
People
Levers
Vision

10. 101010
Many regions are
realizing that their
visioning process has
involved alumni to some
extent – maybe to solicit
input -- but not
necessarily as co-owners.
Where are we right now?
ED, and perhaps regional
leadership team, drafts vision
ED, and perhaps regional
leadership team, references
vision at some other point
Typical approach
ED, and perhaps regional
leadership team, has
conversations with stakeholders
People
Levers
Vision

11. 111111
What would it mean if
our alumni CO-OWNED a
theory of action
for change in your local
ecosystem, alongside
other stakeholders?
Where COULD we be?
Alumni volunteer to serve as
“leads” for various strands of the
landscape (e.g. arts expansion,
restorative justice)
Alumni groups take action based
on research and ingenuity of its
members
Different approach
Alumni work with regional staff to
conduct an ecosystem analysis
People
Levers
Vision

12. 121212
When we take a “1,000 flowers bloom” approach and
when our alumni are “strangers in the night,” we get this…
more than this…

13. 13
The good news: our alums see the potential
Would be interesting to learn
more about how we collective
leverage the talent in the city
to have a deeper, widespread
impact. – Indianapolis
We have a sizable alumni
base…We need to better use
those collective voices to
elevate the stories of our
students and our teachers,
and put pressure on decision
makers to end effective
segregation in our schools. –
Charlotte
Our alumni base here is such
an asset...let's get more
organized and collective. –
Twin Cities
We need to find ways to empower
the alumni that we have in this
region to build a collective
movement. We can do this here; we
just need the resources-space, time,
and leadership-to build capacity and
decide on a collective direction. –
GNO
I hope the TFA community grows
stronger and that we continue to
strengthen our collective voice. –
LA
We have to be more engaged
as a collective. -- Colorado
It is important to harness the
potential talent of alumni to
continue engaging in
collective efforts to address
equity within regions where
they reside. -- STL
There is so much happening in
the area in regards to
education, so I believe TFA
can have a huge impact if it
leverages the people in this
area. –DC
You have an AMAZING group of alums
working alongside CMs and other agents
of change; that collective power is left
largely untapped. The result of this is that
many of us effect change within our school
instead of system-wide. -- KC
I'd love to see an emphasis on mobilizing
alumni across the state to take collective
action around central issues for
education equity social justice issues
regarding American Indian civil rights. –
New Mexico
We currently cut out great
potential by the narrowness of
our internal culture, which keeps
us from being strong partners
working in collective action
towards a bigger whole. -- Bay
We have 150 alumni there is
no reason why we shouldn't
feel a collective sense of
community. -- Rhode Island
I think a lot of
CMs from my year
didn't fully
internalize the
overall theory of
change and
understand that
the collective
alumni impact is
where the
greatest potential
is to realize the
vision. – B’more

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So let’s get started.
Keep going to build co-ownership around a regional
theory of action.