Program Overview:

EducationNC seeks exceptional leaders in educational equity to apply to the 2019 North Carolina Equity Fellowship. This dynamic professional learning opportunity seeks to support fellows in the design and implementation of individual projects that work to urgently disrupt pressing educational inequities in North Carolina. While remaining in their educational field or profession, fellows will receive ongoing mentorship and support to design and carry out their projects. The selective program will accept a total of four candidates who reflect the background of those who experience inequity, and North Carolina’s demographic and geographic diversity. One fellow will be selected from each of the following four categories:

• A teacher
  • A teacher may be a pre-K through 12th grade NC licensed instructor who spends at least 50% of the instructional day serving students.
• A school leader
  • A school leader may be a school staff member who is responsible for the daily instructional leadership or managerial operations of a pre-K through 12th grade school.
• A school board member
  • A school board member must serve on their local board during the year in which the fellowship experience is completed (2019-2020).
• An education journalist
  • An education journalist may be a formally trained journalist who has demonstrated a commitment to reporting on topics in education policy and practice.

Program Objectives:

Fellows will…

1. Identify pressing educational inequities (i.e., over-identification of Black students to special education programs, disparate suspension rates for students of color, inequitable referrals to advanced placement courses for students of color; lack of bilingual or bicultural supports for English Language Learner students, etc.) and conduct research on the factors that act as barriers to disruption.
2. Design innovative capstone projects that address identified inequities. Projects should approach inequities with systems thinking, meaning the projects should reflect an understanding of how the inequity is situated within an intricate web of  complex problems. Capstone projects should rethink standard approaches to change. 
3. Engage in multiple rounds of feedback on project design, interacting with the EducationNC leadership team, board, and fellowship mentors throughout the process.
4. Grow in leadership capacity through individualized mentorship and ongoing development, beginning with a cohort retreat in August.
5. Serve as ambassadors to EducationNC’s initiatives, representing the organization throughout the fellowship and as alumni of the fellowship.
6. Give feedback and recommendations for the future of the fellowship.

NC Equity Fellowship Program Benefits:

• Fellows who successfully complete all program requirements will earn a stipend of $5000.
• Fellows will receive personalized mentorship from a designated mentor in the field of education equity or professional leadership.
• Fellows will receive opportunities for professional networking and other opportunities for advancement of their projects and careers.
• Travel costs, such as costs associated with attendance of cohort gatherings and convenings, will be covered.

NC Equity Fellowship Program Conditions:

Each participant of the NC Equity Fellowship must maintain their professional position (educator, school lead, board member, and journalist) for the duration of the fellowship.

• Each participant is required to attend quarterly convenings. The first convening, an induction event, will be held on August 12-13, 2019. All participants must attend this event. The additional quarterly convening dates will be identified and agreed upon at induction. At each convening, participants will engage in interactive collaborative learning experiences and project design planning sessions.
• Each participant is required to view all informational and correspondence materials provided by EducationNC and complete all scheduled tasks in connection to the NC Equity Fellowship.
• Each participant is required to design and carry out a final capstone project by July 31, 2020 and complete any necessary revisions to earn the stipend. The final capstone projects will be published in EducationNC’s annual report.

Program Timeline: 

May 7, 2019	Application opens
June 7, 2019	Application period closes Applications and all supporting materials are due by 5:00 pm on June 7, 2019.
June 8-July 19, 2019	Review and selection process
July 22, 2019	Applicants notified of selection
August 12-13, 2019	Induction Program
September 2019 – July 2020	Project research, design, revision, and implementation
July 31, 2020	Capstone project submission deadline
August 2020	Capstone projects published in EdNC Annual Report

Application Materials:

 The application consists of three sections: open-ended response, references, and other optional artifacts that speak to your qualifications. Application materials, including your response to the questions and prompts listed below, must be submitted through the digital application form.  Upon receipt of application materials, EducationNC may reach out to offer coaching as a part of the application process. If time allows, EducationNC may pay a site or regional visit to applicants as submissions are reviewed and the selection process is initiated. Please reach out to Jacey Macdonald at jmacdonald@ednc.org with any questions regarding the application.

Section One: Open-ended response

Submission format options include written response to the provided questions, OR a video response in which you verbally answer the questions.

• Written responses should be limited to 1500 words or less. Video responses should be limited to 10 minutes or less.
• Ensure to address all of the following questions in your response.

 

1. Identify a racial inequity in North Carolina’s education system. How do you see this inequity affecting our students, our state and our future?
2. Given your background and professional position, how are you uniquely posed to urgently address this inequity?
3. Given unlimited resources, what actions would you take to work toward eliminating that inequity?

Section Two: References

Provide two to three references that can speak to your commitment to our marginalized students and communities, our state, and our future. At minimum, provide one professional reference, as well as one community reference. Please include the reference’s name, relation, phone number, and the email address at which the reference may be reached.

Section  Three: Optional Portfolio Submissions

Please include any artifacts that demonstrate your creative approach to education, commitment to marginalized students and communities, educational equity, or the future of North Carolina, including but not limited to: visual design, video/film, published articles, unpublished musings, student work samples (remove identifying information), photography, painting, drawing, etc. 

You may also include artifacts that complement the professional background referenced in your application.