BES Fellowship: Apply Now for Future School Founding Opportunities
About The Position
The BES Fellowship is a national school incubator for aspiring school founders. Each year, a cohort of BES Fellows embark on a multi-year process to design, found, and lead high-quality public schools that are deeply rooted in the communities they serve. Timelines and tracks are dependent on regional contexts, needs, and priorities. BES Fellows have varied start dates (August, October, and January) to accommodate different charter authorization deadlines across regions. The BES Fellowship is a four- or five-year journey that consists of three stages: Stage 1: Build (Fellows receive one or two years of pre-authorization training, coaching, and school study. In addition to completing their charter application, building a board, and participating in their capacity interview, Fellows engage in training, school studies, and residencies). Stage 2: Excel (Fellows engage in three years of dedicated post-authorization support (School Launch Support) to ensure that the school starts strong and sustains excellence over time. Consisting of 80-100 hours per year, they receive coaching, support, learning opportunities, and the chance to apply for BES start-up fund awards). Stage 3: Sustain (Fellows complete the BES Fellowship and transition to Alumni status, maintaining access to resources, leadership development, and the broader BES community).
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum 8 years of professional experience
- Instructional or instructional leadership experience
- At least 2 years managing and supervising adults in a PreK-12 setting
- Commitment to serving as a school leader in the proposed community for at least 10 years
- Ability to establish and activate local connections to support school enrollment
- Clear, compelling rationale for the proposed school location
Nice To Haves
- Master's or Professional degree
- At least 2 years of school leadership experience
- At least 2-3 years of experience living or working in the proposed school region, especially those with strong ties to the community
Responsibilities
- Design, found, and lead high-quality public schools.
- Complete charter application.
- Build a board.
- Participate in capacity interviews.
- Engage in cohort-based and region-based training.
- Participate in individual coaching.
- Conduct school studies at exemplary schools nationwide.
- Engage in extended residencies in schools with effective practices.
- Receive post-authorization support for school launch and sustainability.
- Participate in 1:1 coaching for the school founder, leadership team, and governing board.
- Engage in on-site observations and artifact review.
- Participate in in-person intensives, communities of practice, and cohort-based virtual training.
- Apply for BES start-up fund awards.
- Transition to Alumni status with access to resources and community.
Benefits
- Fellowship grant of $100,000 during the first training year.
- Healthcare reimbursement of up to $6,000 for an individual healthcare plan or up to $8,000 for a family plan.
- Travel and accommodations for training and during school study travel.
- Reimbursement for up to $5,000 in moving expenses.
- Reimbursements for school design expenses, design team expenses, or professional development.
- Opportunity to apply for BES start-up fund awards and/or those provided exclusively to Fellows by our partners.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
