Shraman Kar, Sophia Staples and Vijay Karthikeyan talk during a Student Advisory Council meetingThe U.S. Department of Education (USED) is pleased to announce that it will begin accepting applications for the 2024-2025 School Ambassador Fellowship on Dec. 1, 2023.

Launched in 2007, the School Ambassador Fellowship is a unique professional engagement experience designed to improve the outcomes for students nationwide by leveraging the voices of outstanding school-based practitioners to inform the USED on a range national education policy issues.

Founded on the principles of partnership, collaboration and cooperation with school-based educators, the Fellowship seeks to:

  • Establish an active community of teachers, principals, counselors, psychologists, social workers and other school-based staff members who share expertise and collaborate with Department of Education leaders on national education issues;
  • Engage school-based educators in development of policies that impact learning environments nationwide; and
  • Showcase the power of practitioners’ voices and expand the critical leadership role of educators at the national, state and local levels.

Ideal candidates for the School Ambassador Fellowship can demonstrate that they have made significant contributions to student learning and culture throughout their professional careers.  They promote excellence in education through their collaboration and leadership.  Further, School Ambassador Fellows demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate with a variety of education stakeholders both internal and external to the USED.

How do local school districts benefit from having a School Ambassador Fellow represented at the U.S. Department of Education?

  • Through their interaction with leaders at the U.S. Department of Education, Fellows provide a direct line of contact and engagement between the Department and their local school districts and are positioned to elevate pressing educational challenges faced by the students they serve;
  • Fellows build, foster and facilitate relationships between their school districts and the Department’s nationwide network of educational organizations; and
  • In collaboration with Department staff and resources, Fellows take on important projects intended to solve complex challenges that will directly impact the students, families and educators within their local communities.

The deadline to apply for the 2024 – 2025 School Ambassador Fellowship is Monday, Feb. 5, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

For additional information about the Fellowship, please visit the School Ambassador Fellowship program webpage as well as the 2024-2025 School Ambassador Fellowship program flyer and School Ambassador Fellowship program brochure for more information about the types of Fellowship opportunities, eligibility requirements and to access the online application. We look forward to engaging great educators from your district and/or network at the USED as we partner together to improve educational outcomes for all of our nation’s children.

Prospective applicants can contact SAF@ED.gov with any questions about the School Ambassador Fellowship program or about the application process.