Building Excellent Schools
Building Excellent Schools offers Teach For America alumni the opportunity to receive paid expert training to found independent charter schools through the BES Fellowship. Twenty-nine BES Fellows have founded schools in nine states, and 12 Teach For America alumni have participated in the program. To learn more, contact Krista Clarkson at kclarkson@buildingexcellentschools.org.

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Edison Schools
Edison offers alumni opportunities to become principals and academy directors as well as teacher-leaders in their schools across the country. The organization offers extensive professional development and clear career paths for all teachers and school leaders working at Edison Schools. More than 20 alumni work for the organization. For more information, contact Gail Edwards at gedwards@edisonschools.com.

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KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program)
The KIPP Foundation trains prospective school leaders through the KIPP School Leadership Program. Applicants selected for KSLP will be placed in one of two fellowships that vary in length and scope depending on school leadership readiness and familiarity with the KIPP model. KSLP offers all fellows professional development, training, and mentoring from experienced KIPP staff. For details on KSLP, contact Margarita Florez at mflorez@kipp.org.

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Lighthouse Academies
Lighthouse Academies offers alumni opportunities to continue their education reform efforts by becoming regional directors, principals, directors of instruction, and teacher fellows in a network of urban charter schools. Currently, 14 alumni hold leadership positions within 10 schools across the country. Lighthouse team members receive rigorous and ongoing professional development and attend an annual, week-long, network-wide event. For more information, contact Matthew Gallup at mgallup@lighthouse-academies.org.

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New Leaders for New Schools
New Leaders for New Schools provides alumni with a pathway to school leadership in district and charter schools. The comprehensive program includes nine weeks of rigorous training by national experts; a year-long, paid residency in an urban public school; weekly coaching from outstanding former principals; administrative certification; and continued and ongoing support for principals and the schools they lead once on the job as school leaders. New Leaders also offers teacher-leader opportunities in several schools. Currently, 55 Teach For America alumni serve as New Leaders across the country. For more information, visit www.nlns.org or Anna Luke at aluke@nlns.org.

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Columbia Teachers College (New York)
Aspiring alumni school leaders pursue coursework and skill development over two consecutive summers in New York and undertake site-based research projects and internships at their local schools during the intervening year. The program, which recruits nationally, leads to a M.A. or M.Ed. degree and principal licensure. $9,500 fellowships are available for alumni who meet the priority application deadline (November 15, 2007). There are two 50-person cohorts beginning in the summer of 2008. For more information, contact Jon Drescher at drescher@tc.edu.

Arizona State University (Arizona)
Arizona State University’s highly regarded, cohort-based master’s program offers an M.Ed. in Education Administration and Supervision for aspiring principals, superintendents, and charter school leaders. ASU awards five full fellowships annually to Teach For America alumni. Interested candidates should contact Cassie Hilpman at cassie.hilpman@teachforamerica.org for more information.

Harvard University (Massachusetts)
Harvard's School Leadership Program is designed to educate a new cadre of instructional leaders who will have the capacity, skills, and knowledge to create and sustain environments in K-12 schools and other educational settings that foster the learning and well-being of all children. Alumni who complete this program receive a Ed.M. and principal licensure in Massachusetts (reciprocity is possible). Scholarships for alumni are available. For more information, contact Loida Feliz at loida_feliz@harvard.edu.

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (North Carolina)
The Master of School Administration Program prepares alumni to lead schools and other educational organizations. There are on-campus and off-campus options, both leading to eligibility for licensure in North Carolina (reciprocity is possible). Internships for alumni are available. A regularly required three years of teaching experience and the application fee are waived for Teach For America alumni. For more information, contact Kathleen Brown at BrownK@email.unc.edu.

Gwinnett County Public Schools (Georgia)
Gwinnett County Public Schools has created a clear and defined pathway to the principalship in their district and has partnered with Teach For America to identify strong alumni candidates for their school leadership pipeline. Upon completion of the 12- to 15-month Quality Plus Leader Academy, participants receive their leadership credential and are then eligible to apply for assistant principal positions in the district. Interested candidates should contact Kendra Washington-Bass at kendra_washington_bass@gwinnett.k12.ga.us or Kwame Griffith at kwame.griffith@teachforamerica.org for more information.

Long Beach Unified School District (California)
The Long Beach Unified School District Principals Apprenticeship Cohort is designed to prepare a select group of participants for positions as instructional leaders. Participants will be offered a rigorous program of study and a year-long apprenticeship under the tutelage of a mentor principal. LBUSD seeks Teach For America alumni who demonstrate leadership experience in addition to having completed their Administrative Services Credential. Following successful completion of the one-year paid fieldwork placement, participants may be matched with a K-12 principal role within the Long Beach Unified School District. For more information and resume submission dates, contact Kate Farrar at kate.farrar@teachforamerica.org.

Newark Public Schools and Rutgers University (New Jersey)
Through the Prudential Fellowship, Teach For America alumni who have demonstrated their long-term commitment to public education will attend a partially funded, two-year school leadership program at Rutgers-Newark School of Public Affairs and Administration, earning a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Urban Educational Administration and Leadership and credentials for licensure. The two-year program focuses on innovative and productive solutions to urban educational problems, including restructuring schools, creating small learning communities, and accelerating student academic achievement. The program includes a best-practice, hands-on internship component. After graduating from the Rutgers-Newark program, the fellows assume administrative roles within the Newark Public Schools for a minimum of three years. For more information and details on the application process, contact Heather Calverase at heather.calverase@teachforamerica.org.

Chicago Public Schools and the Harvard Graduate School of Education
The Harvard Graduate School of Education has collaborated with Teach For America and Chicago Public Schools to create a fast-track pipeline to district leadership. Selected fellows apply and, if accepted, enroll in a fully-funded year in the School Leadership Program, return to Chicago for a one-year paid residency, and then assume a principal role in Chicago Public Schools. The School Leadership Program is designed to educate a new cadre of instructional leaders who will have the capacity, skills and knowledge to create and sustain environments in K-12 schools and other educational settings. For more information about this fellowship and application process, contact Jessica Borchert at jessica.borchert@teachforamerica.org.

Inner City Education Foundation (Los Angeles)
The Inner City Education Foundation is a network of high-performing charter schools in Los Angeles, serving students throughout several campuses with plans to operate nine schools this fall. Teach For America alumni are encouraged to apply to ICEF’s leadership preparation program, which will place selected applicants in the roles of Dean of Instruction or Department Chairperson. Selected applicants will also take part in a program of study and apprenticeship to build leadership skills. If successful, participants may be matched with a K-12 principal role at one of the existing ICEF campuses or a potential expansion site. All questions and applications should be directed towards Kate Farrar at kate.farrar@teachforamerica.org.

Rice University Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management (Houston)
The Rice Center for Educational Entrepreneurs offers an MBA school leadership track for 15 aspiring principals. Participants earn an MBA and a Texas principal certificate, and participate in a paid two-year residency program in Houston area independent school districts or high-performing charter schools. Participants who enter into school leadership in high need schools in the Houston region upon completion of the program are eligible for full tuition payback. Award recipients are also eligible for application fee waivers. For questions, contact Erica S. Lee at Erica.Lee@teachforamerica.org.

New Schools for New Orleans
Since rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans has become the epicenter of urban education reform. New Schools for New Orleans seeks the most talented educational entrepreneurs to develop charter schools in New Orleans communities and help revitalize the entire city. Teach For America alumni are encouraged to submit an incubation grant application to become part of this comprehensive effort. Selected grant applicants are given leadership training, operational assistance, legal assistance, teacher recruitment services, board development consulting, and a charter application review in addition to the $10,000 a month for founding school leaders. Contact Neerav Kingsland at neerav@nsno.org with questions.

Advance Baton Rouge
Advance Baton Rouge’s Redesigning Lessons, Re-envisioning Principals program will provide Teach For America alumni with innovative school leadership training with a focus on business principles and entrepreneurial spirit. The program utilizes applied coursework and site-based experiences to train future leaders through a 14 months program. Participants spend two summers taking coursework at Louisiana State University, serve as a Leadership Practitioner in a Baton Rouge area school during the school year, and receive two years of support services through regular school visits.