Fellowships

Innovation School Fellowship

The Mind Trust created the Innovation School Fellowship in 2014 in partnership with Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) and the Mayor’s Office of Education Innovation to launch Innovation Network Schools within Indy’s largest district. Fellows have the unprecedented opportunity to launch schools that have the freedoms and flexibilities of charter schools and the financial support and services of a district school, including a school building at little to no cost.

Charter School Fellowship

The Charter School Fellowship launched in 2016 to support the development and replication of high-quality charter schools in Indianapolis. These schools are fully autonomous and are accountable to their charter school authorizer for increasing student achievement. Schools launched through the Charter School Fellowship usually launch as independent charter schools, though in some cases have pursued Innovation School status with IPS.

Support & Resources

Each fellow receives one or two years of compensation valued at $200,000 per year, which includes salary, healthcare, and benefits as they develop their school model. What’s more, fellows access:

A cohort of fellows with similar goals and diverse backgrounds;
Opportunities to travel and engage with leaders at some of the nation’s best schools;
Extensive expertise and feedback on the school design and development process;
Leadership training and development opportunities; and
Support from a network of expert consultants and coaches.

Great Leaders, Great Schools

The Mind Trust believes it takes exceptional school leaders to design and build schools that serve all students well. Thus, we choose Fellows who exhibit:

Experience managing teams of adults to achieve outstanding results for students;
An ambitious, laser-like focus on academic achievement for all students;
A dedication to equity and its impact on students, communities, teachers, and governance;
An entrepreneurial drive that communicates resilience, fortitude, and visionary solutions for intractable challenges; and
A research-grounded model with a clear mission and vision that will motivate stakeholders.

Application & Selection

Innovation School Fellows
The Mind Trust seeks highly effective leaders, teachers, and charter operators with a proven track record of success and an entrepreneurial mindset. View our past fellows and their school models to see what experience our Fellows brought to the Fellowship and what innovations their school models feature.

The 2019 Fellowship application opens on October 1!

Statements of Intent are due January 5, 2020, for consideration in the seventh cohort of Innovation School Fellows. After review, select candidates will then be invited to submit a Full Application by February 9, 2020. The Mind Trust will conduct initial interviews during the second half of February.

You can preview the Statement of Intent and the Full Application, though applications must be submitted through the application portal. You can also find answers to some frequently asked questions in our Innovation School Fellowship FAQs document. Fellowships are awarded in close partnership with IPS after a final interview with a selection committee of distinguished local and national education leaders.

Charter School Fellows
The Mind Trust seeks highly effective school leaders, teachers, and charter school network operators with a proven track record of success and an entrepreneurial mindset. All interested candidates are invited to submit a Statement of Intent, with select candidates invited to submit a Full Application.

Please contact Amber Audrain for more information about our Fellowships and the active Fellowship application.