Frequently Asked Questions

Early Childhood Policy Fellows should have at least 5-8 years of leadership and professional experience in early childhood policy or related work, with experience managing an initiative, program, or team. Candidates must be responsible for making policy/program recommendations and will propose a capstone project that is within their current sphere of influence.

Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to advancing high-quality equitable early care and education systems through their current and/or prior roles and work experiences.

Yes, this fellowship is designed to support all early childhood systems leaders. Applicants with a demonstrated commitment to advancing high-quality early childhood education systems are welcome to apply. Given our commitment to inclusion, equity, and representation, the selection process will prioritize those that bring diverse perspectives based upon cultural fluency, resilience and life experiences

The fellowship is open to leaders in any part of the early childhood ecosystem,  including child care, pre-K, Head Start, home visiting, Early Intervention and Part B, family services, nutrition, and mental health support.

Yes, fellows will need approval from their supervisors to participate in the fellowship and to endorse and champion their capstone project. The application requires a formal letter of support that must be signed by the supervisor. A supervisor reference call will be made for finalists.

While a certificate of completion will be provided for fellows who successfully complete the program, this fellowship does not culminate in a degree or provide course credit. Instead, it is designed to deepen leaders’ existing leadership and policy skills and strengthen their impact within their current organization.

Fellows should commit to about 8 hours total per month for this work, including 2-3 hours each month preparing for meetings, 5 hours for monthly convenings, and 1 hour of coaching, which will be scheduled flexibly. The time to plan and implement the capstone project will depend on the nature of the work, but is designed as a job-embedded initiative so should not extend beyond fellows’ existing workday/commitments.

The virtual monthly sessions (February – December) will occur on Fridays from 11:30 AM – 4:30 PM Eastern Time. Fellows should plan to dedicate the whole day to the fellowship, as there will be asynchronous work outside of the Zoom session.

The $500 stipend will be provided to all fellows in addition to the expenses covered for the in-person convening. It may be used to cover any costs associated with participation (i.e., transportation, food, etc.).

Coaches will provide ongoing support to fellows throughout the year as they apply learning from the program to their work and capstone project. Fellows will also be assigned an accountability partner (a peer fellow) to meet with regularly as a thought partner.

This is the third year that Bank Street has operated this fellowship. The fellowship’s curriculum draws on Bank Street’s experience supporting adult learners through our Graduate School’s leadership program and professional learning partnerships in the Bank Street Education Center. Bank Street’s faculty brings extensive expertise in human development and leadership. The Education Center staff bring experience in state and local systems, and the fellowship often brings in experts in the field to speak with fellows during the sessions.