The 2026 BES Fellowship for Founding School Leaders - Workforce Development Schools in Atlanta

BES Fellowship and School Leadership Opportunities • Atlanta, GA

7d • $110,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The BES Fellowship for founding school leaders includes approximately one year of training for Build Track Fellows followed by three years of Follow On Support to support leaders in building a high-performing, locally responsive school. Fellows in Atlanta begin with an intensive training year, where they engage in over 300 hours of coursework on school design, leadership, governance, and community engagement, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. Fellows also conduct in-depth studies of effective schools across the nation and complete residencies at high-performing schools, all while developing a charter application and establishing a founding board. In year two, the planning year, Fellows partner with a BES coach to refine their project management and leadership skills, hire founding staff, recruit students, and solidify their school vision. This dedicated coaching and cohort-based training, known as Follow On Support, helps Fellows bridge the transition from founder to school leader, preparing them to launch a strong, sustainable school. During years three and four, the first two operational years, leaders put their vision into action, welcoming their inaugural class, coaching teachers, and using data to drive academic success. By the second year of operation, they deepen the academic focus, serving a growing population of students, and build leadership capacity to support future growth, all while fostering an empowered, mission-aligned team. In year three of operation and beyond, BES Fellow-founded schools can opt-in to other leadership and professional development opportunities from BES to support their school and strengthen their leadership bench.

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage and motivate a team towards results.
• Commitment to serving as a school leader in the community for at least 10 years.
• Growth mindset and continuous desire to improve.
• Eagerness to give, take, and implement feedback with humility and in real time.
• Experience in the community you are proposing for your school.
• Strong organizational partnerships.
• Ability to articulate how you will gain and factor in community input.
• School model will primarily serve students from under-sourced communities.
• Anti-racist lens to the work.
• Success with similar populations of students and responsiveness to community needs.
• Clear vision for your school and ability to discuss key elements in a detailed, compelling, and direct manner.
• Accountability for results.
• Belief that all students can achieve at high levels.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience.
• Instructional or instructional leadership experience required.
• At least 2 years managing and supervising adults in a PreK-12 setting required.
• Commitment to serving as a school leader in the proposed community for at least 10 years required.
• Ability to establish and activate local connections to support school enrollment.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s or Professional degree preferred.
• 2 years of school leadership experience preferred.
• At least 2-3 years of experience living or working in the proposed school region, especially those with strong ties to the community.
• Clear, compelling rationale for the proposed school location.
• Experience in career-connected learning and/or existing workforce partnerships preferred.

Responsibilities

• Engage in over 300 hours of coursework on school design, leadership, governance, and community engagement, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Conduct in-depth studies of effective schools across the nation.
• Complete residencies at high-performing schools.
• Develop a charter application.
• Establish a founding board.
• Partner with a BES coach to refine project management and leadership skills.
• Hire founding staff.
• Recruit students.
• Solidify school vision.
• Welcome inaugural class.
• Coach teachers.
• Use data to drive academic success.
• Deepen academic focus.
• Serve a growing population of students.
• Build leadership capacity to support future growth.
• Foster an empowered, mission-aligned team.
• Opt-in to other leadership and professional development opportunities from BES (in year three of operation and beyond).

Benefits

• $110,000 grant during the first year of the program (the Fellowship training year)
• Healthcare grants available
• Travel and accommodations for training and during school study travel
• Technology support
• Reimbursement for up to $5,000 in moving expenses
• Up to $3,500 grants for school design expenses for Build Fellows
• Opportunity to apply for BES start-up fund awards and/or those provided exclusively to Fellows by our partners

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level