Candidates for the Fellowship should be eligible for hire by Metro Nashville Public Schools. Additionally, to be considered for the 2023 cohort of the Nashville Aspiring School Leader Fellowship, you must: Have at least 4 full years of certificated teaching experience in Pre-k – 12 by Fall 2023. Provide demonstrated evidence of educator effectiveness (i.e. TEAM, LOE, TVAAS or other state or nationally normed evidence). Meet requirements for admission to Lipscomb University M.Ed. or E.Ds. programs. Commit to working at the Teach For America Nashville-Chattanooga summer institute in 2023. Commit to pursue a full time mid-level leadership or an administrative position with Metro Nashville Public Schools for the 2024 - 2025 school year.

Strong applicants should meet the following requirements: You believe that potential is equally distributed along lines of race and class, but opportunity is not, and you are committed now and in the future to working toward educational equity. You have demonstrated an ability to build successful, authentic relationships with adults and children from all walks of life regardless of age, income, class, race or gender. You have already shown leadership capacity, have demonstrated ability to set and achieve ambitious goals, and having a passion for learning and developing others. You desire to lead in a district-operated public school operated by Metro Nashville Public Schools. By the time the cohort begins in fall-term classes in 2023, you must have a valid Tennessee teaching license and have 4 or more years teaching experience. Master’s in Education preferred, but not required. Prior experience in teacher coaching or adult leadership preferred, but not required.

The standard timeline for the Fellowship is based on the experience of a Fellow with a Master’s in Education. Fellows with a master’s degree will pursue an Ed.S. It is possible to complete the program on an adjusted timeline if you do not already have a master’s degree or if you already hold an administrative license. Contact Teach For America Nashville-Chattanooga for more information.

This program is open to applicants of all preparation backgrounds. All applicants must exhibit Teach For America’s core values, and strive to be ambassadors of the Teach For America program at all times.

If you have already begun pursuing an administrator license in Tennessee or in another state, we can support you in determining the exact course progression that will support your degree candidacy.

Much like the corps experience, we cannot guarantee any participant’s placement. Teach For America and Lipscomb University work together to provide the education, mentorship, networking, hands-on experience, career and job placement support necessary to be a competitive applicant for mid-level school leadership, but MNPS principals make the final hiring decision for their school.

From June 2023 to December 2024, Fellows can expect 6 credit hours of graduate-level course work per semester. Classes begin in August 2023 and will meet approximately one weekend per month during the school year – usually Friday from 5 pm to 9 pm and Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm. Additional online work, field experiences, and collaboration with a mentor may be expected throughout the program. More information about the Lipscomb program can be found here: https://www.lipscomb.edu/academics/programs/educational-leadership Fellows are expected to pursue a role with the TFA Nashville-Chattanooga summer institute, which will require full time work from late-May to mid-July 2023 and 4 weekend training days between February and May 2023. Additionally, Teach For America requires 4 to 5 evenings throughout the school year for professional development, networking, and mentorship.

Lipscomb University and Teach For America Nashville-Chattanooga have made discounts and scholarships available for these aspiring school leaders. Fellows receive 40% discount off the tuition of the entire leadership program and are eligible for an additional scholarship of $4,000 after successful completion of year 1 of the Fellowship. Additionally, Fellows may have an opportunity for TFA institute work during spring and summer of 2024.

The selection criteria for the Nashville Aspiring School Leader Fellowship includes Teach For America’s core competencies, core values and excellent schools framework; and Lipscomb University’s College of Education leadership dimensions. Your application will include open-ended response questions, your resume, a statement of educator effectiveness, and references. We recommend candidates be able to clearly articulate their philosophy on education and why they aim to pursue school leadership within a district-run public school. Your statement of educator effectiveness should include TEAM evaluations, LOE, TVAAS, or other state or nationally normed evaluations.

The application for the 2023 cohort of the Nashville Aspiring School Leader Fellowship will open in January 2023. More details and dates will be available as the application window approaches. In the meantime, sign up for more information or schedule an informational meeting. Application Deadline: March 2023 Interview Dates: April 2023 Notification of Acceptance: April 2023 2023 Fellowship Timeframe: June 2023 - May 2025