Dacia Toll

Dacia Toll is the founder and former CEO (stepped down in June 2021) of Achievement First, a non-profit charter management organization which she grew from one school in New Haven, CT, to 41 schools across three states. Achievement First is regularly recognized as one of the top charter networks in the country – having been named four times as finalist for the Broad Foundation Prize for Charter Excellent (finalists are the top three charter networks in the country). Dacia launched AF Accelerate six years ago to support non-AF schools and networks across the country to build their own teacher and leader capacity. Between AF Core and AF Accelerate, Achievement First serves more than 65,000 students. Dacia led the founding team and served for six years (1999-2005) as the principal of the first Achievement First school, Amistad Academy, which posted the greatest achievement gains of any middle school in the state and was the subject of a nationally-televised PBS documentary, “Closing the Achievement Gap.” Dacia currently serves on the boards of Relay Graduate School of Education, 50CAN, and Together Education. After graduating from the University of North Carolina, Dacia received a Rhodes Scholarship and a degree from Oxford University. She also received a teaching certificate and law degree from Yale University.