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

The 2026 BES Fellowship for Founding School Leaders - Workforce Development Schools in Atlanta Atlanta Fellowship for Founding School Leaders - Workforce Development Schools in Atlanta BES seeks a Fellow for our Fellowship program starting in August 2026 to serve as a Founding School Leader in Greater Atlanta. This Fellowship offers highly motivated leaders committed to transforming education the rigorous, multi-year training needed to design, found, and lead a high-achieving school that meets the unique needs of its community. BES welcomes applicants interested in founding schools in Clayton County or Gwinnett County that would serve students in grades 6-12 that are academically rigorous and prioritize workforce development / career-focused schools as part of the model. At this time, we are not considering applications for elementary schools or models not connected to workforce development or high-growth careers. Who We Are Strong schools are built by strong leaders, which is why BES identifies and prepares exceptional individuals to transform education in their communities. From school founders and executive directors to operations leaders, deans, and curriculum directors, we train leaders to build schools, to ensure their schools excel, and to sustain their results over time. The BES Fellowship and selection process fosters an equitable, inclusive, and empowering experience for Fellows. For over two decades, BES Fellows have founded over 220 schools and are currently serving more than 73,000 students, with many BES-trained leaders consistently driving student achievement beyond district and state averages and helping to close the opportunity gap. What You’ll Do 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. For a comprehensive description of our Fellowship, please visit our website. An overview is provided below. 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. What You Bring The ability to lead, manage and motivate: You have demonstrated the ability to lead and manage a team towards results, and you are committed to serving as a school leader in the community for at least 10 years. Self awareness and humility: You possess a growth mindset and have a continuous desire to improve. You are eager to give, take, and implement feedback with humility and in real time. Commitment to community: You have experience in the community you are proposing for your school and bring strong organizational partnerships. You can articulate how you will gain and factor in community input. Diversity, equity and inclusion in action : Your school model will primarily serve students from under-sourced communities and bring an anti-racist lens to the work. You have had success with similar populations of students and been responsive to community needs. Commitment to excellence for all students : You have a clear vision for your school and can discuss key elements of the school in a detailed, compelling, and direct manner. You hold yourself accountable for results and believe that all students can achieve at high levels. 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 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 $100,000+ 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 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 $100,000 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 or Gwinnett) 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. Please note that Fellows may begin assignments prior to Fellowship orientation. To Apply Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The application deadline for this region is March 30, 2026, but applicants are encouraged to apply early as space is limited. Before applying, please review our Applicant Toolkit , which includes guidance and resources to support you through the application process. Submit your application via our job board. Interested in founding a school outside of Atlanta? Additional regions will be announced as they become available. In the meantime, you can: Subscribe to receive updates on new regions here . It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Create a Job Alert Interested in building your career at BES Fellowship and School Leadership Opportunities ? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email. Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf Is this your first time applying to the BES Fellowship? * Select... If you have applied previously, what year(s) did you apply? 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 Before 2019 Which state do you currently reside in? * Select... What is your highest level of education completed? * Select... Please list the name of your current employer. * Current Position Title: * How did you first become aware of BES? * Select...

1. If you were referred or nominated for the BES Fellowship, please list the referrer’s name.
2. How many years of full-time, professional work experience do you have? * Select...
3. How many years of professional experience do you have working directly in a school, district, or network that serves Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade students? * Select...
4. How many years of teaching or instructional experience do you have working directly with students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12th? * Select...
5. How many years of managerial experience do you have supervising direct reports in a full-time professional role that serves Pre-K through 12 students? * Select...
6. Please share more about how many direct reports you have supervised and in what setting. *
7. How did you most recently hear about the BES Fellowship opportunity? * Select...

1. a. If you selected Other or Professional Organization, please tell us more about how you heard about the BES Fellowship.
2. Have you ever served as a school principal, CEO, founder, or executive director? * Select...

1. a. If applicable, please share more about your school leadership experience.
2. Have you been part of other Principal and Leadership development programs, fellowships or incubators? * Select...

1. a. If yes, please provide the program title, details, and program/cohort year. If applicable, please provide any certifications obtained:
2. Have you ever participated in other BES Leadership Development programs? Select all that apply.

LENS Leadership Intensives Other N/A - none of the above 11. Which state are you proposing to found your school? [select from the 50 states] * Select... 12. Please share the specific region in which you are proposing to found your school (i.e city, neighborhood, and/or zip code(s). If you are interested in multiple regions, you may also list additional locations here. * 13. What are the proposed school grade levels of the school you hope to found? Select all that apply. * Elementary Middle High Flexible 14. Which of the following descriptors (if any) will represent significant elements of your proposed school model (select all that apply)? * Select... 15. In 300 words or less, please describe your connection to your proposed region, including any personal and professional ties you have to the community. Why are you choosing this particular community to found a school? * 16. In 300 words or less, please describe any entrepreneurial, volunteer, leadership or community work you have done that is relevant to your interest in school founding and leadership (please include the number of years you have been involved in this work in your response): * 17. In 300 words or less, please describe: What are the unique elements or components you would want in the school you are proposing to design, found and lead? What is innovative about what you are proposing and how will this set your school apart from other local school options? * 18. Have you ever not been renewed or terminated for a position or asked not to return to a previous role?(This includes roles where your contract was not extended, you were not invited back, or your position ended unexpectedly.) * Select... 18a. If yes, please briefly explain the circumstances including the role and year: 19. Have you previously been involved in the founding of a charter school or submitted a charter application?(This includes starting a school, serving on a founding team, or leading the submission of a charter proposal.) * Select... 19a. If yes, please briefly describe your role and the outcome: 20.Please list any charter schools you have worked at previously or been affiliated with. U.S. Standard Demographic Questions We invite applicants to share their demographic background. If you choose to complete this survey, your responses may be used to identify areas of improvement in our hiring process. How would you describe your gender identity? (mark all that apply) Select... How would you describe your racial/ethnic background? (mark all that apply) Select... How would you describe your sexual orientation? (mark all that apply) Select... Do you identify as transgender? (select one) Select... Do you have a disability or chronic condition (physical, visual, auditory, cognitive, mental, emotional, or other) that substantially limits one or more of your major life activities, including mobility, communication (seeing, hearing, speaking), and learning? (select one) Select... Are you a veteran or active member of the United States Armed Forces? (select one) Select... #J-18808-Ljbffr BES Fellowship and School Leadership Opportunities