Impact Academy

Leaders in educator preparation play a critical role in equipping the next generation of teachers to deliver equitable, rigorous instruction so that every student is empowered to succeed. Rising to this challenge calls on leaders from across the field to consider what it takes to transform teacher preparation – and that’s where Impact Academy comes in.

The Impact Academy is a year-long fellowship that convenes outstanding deans and dean-level leaders of educator-preparation programs and provides them with the support and resources to foster real and lasting change within their programs.

Fellows engage in a rich, cohort-based experience with the following features:

• In-person and virtual learning sessions designed to build shared understanding of leadership and organizational change theory and apply these theories to real-world decision making
• 1:1 coaching from seasoned leaders
• Opportunities to analyze a broad set of case studies, all written by and for Impact Academy fellows
• Peer consultancies to address field-facing challenges in real time

At the end of the year-long fellowship, all are invited to join our Leadership Collaborative, an alumni network offering continued opportunities to connect and learn.

Hear former fellows reflect on the most valuable aspects of this experience:

Interested in joining Impact Academy?

The application for the 2025-26 fellowship is now closed. If you have questions and want to learn more about the fellowship, please fill out the form below:

If you were to succeed as a leader in educator preparation, what would you want to be true?

Our program is grounded in an understanding that effective leaders possess a firm sense of their values, principles and priorities – all of which serve as foundations for their work. As such, we begin by exploring who we are, what drives us, and what it takes to fulfill our role as leaders. Over the course of the year, Impact Academy fellows then go on to identify a leadership challenge they wish to address, before planning and enacting the change they hope to see.

More than 100 current fellows and alumni have engaged in transformative work through their Impact Academy experience. Read about the broad range of challenges this fellowship has supported them to lead through:

DFI is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community for fellows. We strive to build cohorts that reflect the racial, geographic, and institutional breadth of teacher-preparation programs and leaders across the country.

You should apply if you:

• Are, or will be, a dean or dean-level equivalent of an educator-preparation program during the 2025-26 academic year
• Have a strong interest in facilitating identity-centered growth in yourself and in those you lead 
• Value learning alongside others in community
• Prioritize instructional quality and pedagogy in the preparation of future teachers
• Seek to ensure more equitable outcomes for teacher-candidates and the students they serve 
• Can commit to participating in all Impact Academy activities over the 2024-25 academic year
• Want to engage in an alumni network of 100+ leaders actively collaborating and sharing best practices from across the field (upon completing the fellowship) 

The fellowship includes:

• An in-person summer session planned for June 25-27, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
• Monthly virtual learning sessions throughout the academic year
• A one-day in-person closing session in 2026
• Multiple 1:1 coaching sessions with a veteran dean
• The fee for the 2025-26 fellowship is $6,495 and includes all materials, learning sessions, and at least four 1:1 coaching sessions. Financial assistance is available.

 Meet Past and Current Fellows