An Update from Amir: A Leadership Transition at Outschool

I am writing to our community today to share that it’s time for a new phase at Outschool. With mixed emotions and deep gratitude for all that we’ve built together, I’m preparing for a new personal journey and stepping back from leading the company. I’m excited to hand the reins to a leadership team that has already been actively shaping our next chapter. Xueyan Wang, our COO, and Andy Chiu, our CTO, will transition into a co-leadership role as we move our plans forward and thoughtfully support the process of identifying and onboarding Outschool’s next CEO. For families and educators, this transition does not change our unwavering commitment to providing you with the best products and services.

When I founded Outschool 11 years ago, I could never have imagined how the company would evolve or the impact it would have. Today, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together. This is a company that truly matters.

Outschool now offers more than 100,000 live online classes to over 1 million learners across 196 countries and territories. We’ve built a mission-driven team and a global community that harnesses technology to empower educators and families. I am especially proud of how we showed up in moments of crisis, most notably during COVID, by providing free classes, financial support, and an incredible resource for kids when families needed it most.

At the heart of Outschool has always been our teachers. Some have been with us since the very beginning, helping to shape what this platform could become, and many partnered with us through the uncertainty of the COVID years to continue serving learners when the world felt upside down. Along the way, educators have navigated change as our company, product, and team have evolved, often in real time. At Outschool, we see teachers differently from how much of the traditional education system or many tech companies do. We see them as creative, entrepreneurial professionals. One concrete expression of that belief is our decision to set aside equity in the company for teachers’ benefit, in appreciation for the value they create. In a world increasingly overrun by technology, what has always set Outschool apart is our focus on using technology in service of humans—kids—in deep partnership with other humans, our teachers.

I am also deeply excited about Outschool’s future. Our mission to inspire a lifelong love of learning in kids is more relevant than ever. The world our children are growing up in is accelerating rapidly. Families are increasingly seeking alternatives to traditional education and new learning models that better support children in a changing world. Outschool was built for this moment.

The opportunity ahead in alternative education is immense. Every child is different, and their needs evolve over time. Today, we serve only a fraction of what is possible. With the growth of school choice, advances in AI, and our extraordinary educator community, we are well-positioned to expand our impact. Over the past year, we’ve built a strong plan to do just that. This includes strengthening membership offerings, expanding beyond live classes to asynchronous experiences, and using AI to make learning more personalized, accessible, and delightful.

Today, I am excited to share that Xueyan Wang, our longtime COO, and Andy Chiu, our CTO, will co-lead Outschool as key decision makers while we appoint our next mission-driven CEO. Xueyan and Andy have been central to shaping our 2026 strategy and are already driving the product and operational work that defines our next phase of growth. I have complete confidence in their leadership and in the broader team.

I will be taking a break, though I doubt it will be for too long. My immediate focus is on supporting the transition and cheering on the team as they bring our shared vision to life. I will also continue to rely on Outschool for my own children’s education.

Finally, I want to express my deepest gratitude. Thank you to my co-founders, Nick Grandy and Mikhail Seregine; to our exceptional leadership team, especially Xueyan and Andy, for stepping up; and, most of all, to the families and educators who turned an idea into a meaningful alternative for kids who need something different. 

Onward!