Transformative Educational Leadership from the Inside Out
Cultivating Beloved Community among educators, and school & systems leaders
Applications for the 2026–27 Fellowship open January 15, 2026
Our Essence
At Transformative Educational Leadership (TEL), we cultivate the inner and outer capacities of diverse education leaders so they can transform schools into communities rooted in love, equity, and belonging.
Fellowship Highlight
Our yearlong Fellowship weaves mindfulness, equity, and systems thinking into a journey of personal and professional transformation.
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“TEL has been the space where I can feel comfortable and find some company in the change processes we’ve been experiencing in Puerto Rico this year.”
Gladys Hernandez, School Mental Health Practitioner and Social Psychologist, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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“TEL has been a breath of fresh air. And so, when I close my eyes and think about TEL, it's been the collective permission to just be.”
Dr. Terry Harris, Executive Director, Student Services, Rockwood School District, Eureka, Missouri
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“It's important to be curious about others so you can connect. It's equally important to know about yourself so you can connect with heart and with courage.”
Jane Hsu, Principal, PS 116, New York, NY
Community Impact
1.5M Students
100K Educators
4 Cohorts
What’s New / Events
Info Sessions:
January and February 2026
Join us to learn about the 2026–27 Fellowship cohort and ask questions.
RSVP
Fellowship Application Opens:
January 15, 2026
Applications open January 15, 2026. Start your transformation journey.
Learn More
TEL Alumni Convening:
2026
Annual gathering of TEL Fellows to reconnect, share, and grow together.
Save the DateTransforming Education from the Inside Out
Transformative Educational Leadership (TEL) ® cultivates the inner and outer growth of educational leaders and deepens their capacity to transform their school communities so that everyone thrives. TEL brings together a diverse group of leaders from a variety of roles and educational communities for a year-long fellowship to create a more compassionate, just and interdependent world. Ultimately, TEL is a Beloved Community of awakened educational leaders who receive the support and skills necessary to create transformative change in the communities they serve.
Transformation Happens Through Community
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Mission
To cultivate the personal and collective transformation of diverse educational leaders so they can transform schools into just, compassionate, and thriving learning communities.
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Empower
Shifts in attitudes, beliefs, and thinking which are necessary for positive changes in actions and behaviors.
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Fellowship
For leaders committed to the power of inner development, collective impact, and becoming seeds of radical change in their communities.
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Resources
Find tools and resources including events, research, meditations and more for educators.
The Power of Community
Transformation happens through community.
As a TEL Fellow, you are a member of a Beloved Community where you will experience shifts in attitude, beliefs, and thinking necessary to embody your highest vision of what it means to lead for Love and Belonging. Build heart-centered relationships with education leaders from a wide variety of roles including Superintendents, Principals, and Non-Profit & CBO Leaders. Connect to ongoing support through an engaged Alumni network. Deepen your capacity to lead in a way that support all members of your community to feel cared for, connected, and that they belong.
Listen to experiences from our participants and alumni.
An Interdisciplinary Approach
TEL focuses on what it means to truly lead from the inside out. We believe the most powerful transformation happens at the intersection of inner development that cultivates the values that instill compassionate and courageous action in our spheres of power and circles of influence. Areas of exploration.
Transformative Leadership
Social and Emotional Learning
Ethical Decision-making
Principles of Nonviolence
Racial, Social, and Ecological Justice
Mindfulness and Contemplative Practices
Inner Wisdom and Embodiment
Systems Change and Collective Impact
