Press Releases | September 15, 2021

The Mind Trust opens application for ninth cohort of Innovation School Fellowship

kimberly neal speaking to the public

INDIANAPOLIS – September 15, 2021 – The Mind Trust, an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit, today announced the application launch for the ninth cohort of the Innovation School Fellowship. The Innovation School Fellowship is a partnership between The Mind Trust, The Mayor’s Office of Education Innovation (Mayor’s Office), and Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) to attract best-in-class educators to develop and lead high-quality IPS Innovation Network Schools.

Through this nationally-unique, paid fellowship, exceptional school leaders have the opportunity to spend one to two years developing sustainable school models for Indianapolis that have an academic vision of excellence for all students, attract and retain high-quality, diverse talent, and commit to equitably serve their school community.

“Indianapolis students and families deserve great school leaders who have the skills and passion to develop and lead schools with excellent academics and strong connections to the community,” said Brandon Brown, CEO of The Mind Trust. “The Mind Trust is excited to connect with strong school leaders who are interested in building more high-quality public school options for Indianapolis students and families with the time and resources offered by the Innovation School Fellowship.”

Interested applicants must have experience managing teams of adults to achieve outstanding academic results for students, a dedication to equity, and an entrepreneurial drive. To apply, applicants must present a statement of intent that shares their past results and their idea for a research-grounded school model with a clear mission and vision. Interested applicants can visit themindtrust.org/innovation for more information and to begin the application. Statements of Intent are due on January 9, 2022.

Innovation Network Schools are schools within the IPS district that give building-level school leaders full academic and operational autonomy to make decisions based on the needs of an individual school community to raise student achievement. Innovation School Fellows will present a full plan for their school to the IPS Board of School Commissioners for approval to become an Innovation Network School.

​​In the 2021-2022 school year, there are 31 Innovation Network Schools within IPS, collectively serving more than 12,000 students. In 2020-2021, 37.4% of students within IPS attended an Innovation Network School. Seventeen Innovation Network Schools have been founded by The Mind Trust’s Fellowship alumni. According to a 2019 study from Stanford University, students in Innovation Network Schools are achieving 2-3 months of additional learning in reading and math.

About The Mind Trust

The Mind Trust is an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit that works to build a system of schools that gives every student, no exceptions, access to a high-quality education. The Mind Trust does this by building a supportive environment for schools through policy and community engagement, empowering talented, diverse educators to launch new schools, and providing existing schools with the support they need to hire world-class talent and achieve excellence. Since 2006, The Mind Trust has supported the launch of 49 schools, 15 education nonprofit organizations, and has helped place more than 1,800 teachers and school leaders in Indianapolis classrooms.