In January, the Bank Street Education Center welcomed its third annual cohort of the Early Childhood Policy Fellowship, a yearlong professional learning opportunity that supports leaders committed to building strong early childhood education systems that center quality and equity.
The new cohort includes 14 early childhood professionals working at local, state, and federal agencies, as well as public school systems, non-profits, and community-based organizations. Participants bring extensive experience in the field, holding roles such as director, advisor, researcher, and policy administrator, among other positions.
“We are pleased to welcome our new cohort of early childhood leaders representing 12 states nationwide from New York to Louisiana to Hawaii,” said Tarima Levine, Managing Director of Content, Design, and Strategy, Bank Street Education Center. “This fellowship is an important opportunity for early childhood professionals to strengthen their communities, build their capacity as strong leaders, and form a network of thought partners and changemakers dedicated to advancing high-quality, equitable early learning systems.”
Throughout the program, fellows will engage in collaborative, cohort-based learning through monthly virtual sessions focused on deepening their capacity to address interconnected challenges, navigate the complexities of early childhood leadership, shape policies for developmentally meaningful and culturally responsive environments, and advance equity through community engagement.
Fellows will also participate in monthly meetings with a designated coach who will help them apply learnings from the fellowship, develop their leadership capacities, and work on their capstone projects.
In addition, the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) at Bank Street Graduate School of Education will partner with the Education Center this year to lead the policy strand of the fellowship. Participants will join monthly sessions with NCCP to explore early childhood policies that promote young children’s development in early care and education programs, the home and community, and health care settings.
“We look forward to sharing examples of promising early childhood policies from across the states to offer fellows a view of the many ways policies can strengthen supports for young children’s well-being and healthy development,” said Sheila Smith, Director, National Center for Children in Poverty.
The fellowship began with a two-day in-person convening in January in New York City in which fellows participated in a variety of interactive group activities and discussions designed to kick off their learning.
To begin, Tracy Fray-Oliver, Vice President, Bank Street Education Center, delivered opening remarks, sharing an inspiring message with the fellows about the program’s purpose and the challenges of the current early childhood landscape.
“By supporting leaders like you—leaders passionate about equity and ready to tackle issues like funding disparities, workforce development, and access to quality programs—we’re building a future where every child and educator can thrive,” said Fray-Oliver at the convening. “This fellowship will provide you with the tools, perspectives, and networks you need to lead this change—whether in classrooms, boardrooms, or policymaking spaces. Leadership like this requires courage, conviction, and a commitment to equity, and we hope this program will be a space where you feel supported, nurtured, and inspired as you take on this vital work.”
Next, the Bank Street team presented an overview of the fellowship’s goals and design, followed by a discussion on establishing shared learning commitments to support the larger group in working together. Fellows also engaged in a small-group community-building activity that prompted them to reflect on their leadership identity. In addition, the convening featured a panel of previous fellows who shared insights from the program and discussed the impact of the experience on their work today.
The next morning, fellows had the opportunity to meet faculty and staff from across Bank Street before beginning the day’s activities, which included sessions on various themes such as exploring the principles of adaptive leadership and crafting a leadership equity stance to apply to their work.
During the following months, fellows will begin research on their capstone projects. Topics include shifting narratives around early education as a public good; recommendations for investments and streamlining of services for early childhood mental health, healthcare, and developmental services; supporting the early childhood workforce and improving conditions for recruitment, retention, compensation, and well-being; and enhancing coordination in early childhood systems.
The fellowship builds on Bank Street’s longstanding commitment to advancing high-quality early childhood education and empowering leaders to build equitable early learning systems nationwide. To learn more, visit our Early Childhood Policy Fellowship webpage.