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

About the role

The BES Fellowship for Founding School Leaders in Atlanta offers highly motivated leaders the rigorous, multi-year training needed to design, found, and lead a high-achieving school that meets the unique needs of its community. This fellowship is specifically designed for applicants interested in founding a school in Clayton County that serves students in grades 6-12 with a focus on workforce development and career-focused schools.

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 and complete residencies at high-performing schools.
• Develop a charter application and establish a founding board.
• Partner with a BES coach to refine project management and leadership skills, hire founding staff, recruit students, and solidify the school vision.
• Put the vision into action, welcoming the inaugural class, coaching teachers, and using data to drive academic success.
• 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.
• Opt-in to other leadership and professional development opportunities from BES to support the school and strengthen the leadership bench.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s or Professional degree preferred
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience, with instructional or instructional leadership experience required
• At least 2 years managing and supervising adults in a PreK-12 setting required, 2 years of school leadership experience preferred
• 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
• Strong preference for candidates with at least 2-3 years of experience living or working in the proposed school region, especially those with strong ties to the community
• A clear, compelling rationale for the proposed school location
• Experience in career-connected learning and/or existing workforce partnerships preferred

Compensation and Benefits

• This is a contract role with a $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
• The opportunity to apply for BES start-up fund awards and/or those provided exclusively to Fellows by our partners

Additional Information

The BES Fellowship training year typically runs from August 2026 through July 2027, during which time BES Fellows will receive disbursements from their $110,000 grant. While grant disbursements will end in July 2027 (or typically 12 months after beginning the Fellowship), the authorization process in certain regions can sometimes extend beyond that time. Note that the beginning and end date for the Atlanta Fellowship will depend on the local counties’ (Clayton) authorization timeline AND a candidate’s readiness. BES Fellows will continue to receive coaching and guidance from BES through this phase to help them navigate the entirety of the authorization process. In addition, BES will work with Fellows affected by this timeline to identify additional funding opportunities for Fellows, wherever possible.

To Apply

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. As such, applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible in order to secure limited spots in our available regions.

Please note that Fellows may begin assignments prior to Fellowship orientation.

To apply, please submit your application via our job board.