Through the Eyes of Accomplished Teachers

A FRESH LENS ON TEACHER IMPACT

Join us for an invitation-only conversation about stories, teacher impact, and the future of the profession.

RESERVE YOUR SEAT

Above & Beyond Teaching and Teacher Stories are hosting invitation-only convenings in Sacramento and Los Angeles. Participants include educators, policymakers, journalists, philanthropists, teacher educators, and community leaders who care deeply about the future of the teaching profession.

REGISTRATION

Join California’s Education Leaders for a Conversation We Can’t Afford to Ignore.

Teacher shortages are growing, burnout is rising, and public conversations about education are dominated by statistics, policy debates, and alarming headlines. Those statistics matter, but they rarely help us understand what great teaching actually looks like or why it matters so profoundly to students, families, communities, and our democracy. For that, we need stories.

Stories reveal the human beings behind the numbers. They show us how extraordinary teachers change the trajectory of students' lives, inspire young people to pursue their dreams, strengthen communities, and shape future generations. Yet we rarely hear those stories, and we rarely ask what makes these teachers extraordinary.

SACRAMENTO

Northern California

9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Thursday, August 13, 2026

featuring

Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond

President of the California State Board of Education

The Center at Sierra Health Foundation

1321 Garden Highway, Suite 210

Sacramento, California 95833 MAP

LOS ANGELES

Southern California

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.  Tuesday, August 18, 2026

featuring

Dr. Pedro Noguera

Dean of the USC Rossier School of Education

The California Endowment

1000 N. Alameda ST.

Los Angeles, CA 90012 MAP

Why Stories Matter

Statistics help us understand the challenges facing public schools. They tell us how many teachers are leaving the profession, how many positions remain unfilled, and how students are performing. But statistics alone rarely inspire people to act. Stories do.

Stories help us see the human beings behind the numbers. They reveal what great teachers actually do, how they change the trajectory of students' lives, and why their work matters to families, communities, and our democracy.

Statistics can tell us what's happening. Stories tell us why it matters.

The Missing Perspective

Despite countless initiatives, one critical question continues to go largely unanswered: what are the extraordinary teachers doing that makes such a profound difference in students' lives, and how do we attract, prepare, support, and retain more teachers like them?

Most conversations about education focus on systems, policies, and programs. This conversation focuses on people.

Reserve your seat

  • Pose questions directly to some of California's most accomplished educators.

    Q&A with exceptional teachers

  • Firsthand accounts of the moments that shifted everything.

    Stories from students

  • Policymakers, educators, journalists, researchers, and funders — in one room.

    Cross-sector dialogue

A FRESH LENS

Teacher Stories and Above & Beyond Teaching invite you to explore a fresh perspective on teacher impact.

Instead of examining education through the lens of policy, politics, and performance metrics, we’ll examine it through the lived experiences of extraordinary teachers and the students whose lives they transformed.

Together, we’ll explore:

  • What students consistently say makes great teachers different

  • Why relationships often matter as much as academics

  • What accomplished educators believe is missing from today’s conversation

  • How communities can better support and elevate the teaching profession

  • What we can learn from teachers who continue to make an extraordinary impact

  • The future of education will not be shaped by any one organization. It will be shaped by the collective wisdom of educators, researchers, policymakers, journalists, funders, and community leaders who are willing to ask better questions. We believe your voice belongs in that conversation.

    You will join a select group of leaders exploring how we can elevate the stories, practices, and values that inspire people to enter and remain in the teaching profession.

  • You will leave with a deeper understanding of what extraordinary teachers do differently, new perspectives from educators and students on the front lines, and connections with leaders across education and public life. You will also come away with practical ideas for elevating the teaching profession and an opportunity to help shape future conversations and initiatives. Most importantly, you will have helped advance a conversation that moves beyond headlines and toward a clearer understanding of what great teaching makes possible.

  • Attendance is limited. We invite you to join us in Sacramento on August 13 or Los Angeles on August 20 for this important conversation about teacher impact, educational leadership, and the future of the profession. REGISTER TODAY

Teacher Educators

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Policymakers

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Journalists

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Foundation Leaders

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Student Teachers

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Researchers

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Teacher Educators | Policymakers | Journalists | Foundation Leaders | Student Teachers | Researchers |

Featured Voices

  • Dr. Pedro Noguera

    Dean of the USC Rossier School of Education

  • Andrew Kordik

    2022 Honoree

  • Jason Morgan

    2017 Honoree

  • Kate Rowley

    2018 Honoree

  • Carmen Garvis

    2019 Honoree

  • Lindsey Bird

    2015 Honoree

  • Linda Darling-Hammond

    Linda Darling-Hammond

    President of the California Board of Education

  • Mary Vixie Sandy

    Mary Vixie Sandy

    Executive Director of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing

  • Jose Rivas

    2011 Honoree

Partners in This Work

Sponsorship opportunities are available at multiple levels. Presenting sponsors receive prominent event branding, recognition in all communications, and partnership in future content production.