The Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program was started in 2008 as a pilot program. For the 2008-2009 school year, 5 Washington Fellows were selected to come to Washington, DC to serve as full-time employees of the Department of Education. 20 Classroom Fellows were selected to remain in their schools and serve as part-time advisors to the Department.

Washington Fellows serve as full-time federal employees in Washington, DC for one school year, placed in appropriate positions within the Department of Education to work on education program development and implementation. They focus on using their previous classroom experience to contribute knowledge and insight to various Department projects. They spend the majority of their time working in Program Offices, and collaborating with other Fellows. They spend some time contributing their perspectives to policy discussions.

• Washington Fellows are assigned to appropriate positions within the Department of Education. Specific tasks depend on each Fellow's background and affinity, but may include working in one or more Program Offices and contributing expertise on various project, program, and policy matters.

• Throughout the year, Washington Fellows participate in activities designed to increase their knowledge and understanding of federal education policy and program management. Fellows meet for discussions and sessions to explore strategies around needs and best practices in public education. They help to coordinate communication and collaboration with Classroom Fellows and the Department of Education.

• Washington Fellows are responsible for completing their individual tasks for a class project. These tasks might involve discussions and interactions with the policy liaisons and with other Fellows. Washington Fellows serve as primary facilitators for coordinating work with Classroom Fellows.

Classroom Fellows serve their regular teaching contracts with their districts, and are paid to perform additional Fellowship duties for the Department of Education for one school year. As practicing classroom teachers, these Fellows share an important perspective for—and gain more knowledge about—education policy and program development. They share their experiences with other Fellows and with the Department of Education at designated times throughout the year.

• Classroom Fellows serve their regular teaching contracts for the given school year, performing all duties associated with their established contracts. Classroom Fellows participate in Fellowship activities outside of their regular teaching contract hours. These activities include communicating with policy liaisons and other Department of Education employees, collaborating with other Fellows, completing written assignments, working on a class project, etc. Classroom Fellows are paid an hourly rate by the Department of Education for this work.

• Classroom Fellows may conduct and participate in Fellowship activities during up to 5 school days. Classroom Fellows work with the Department of Education and their school leadership to approve and coordinate any potential days out of the classroom. These days are used for Fellows to participate in relevant activities within the education community in their state and/or region.

Principals are encouraged to provide school leadership support for their participating teacher Fellows. They are invited to work with the Fellows and with Department of Education staff to coordinate some Fellowship activities, and to provide a vital administrative perspective for education policy and program discussions.

Fellowship Summit

The Fellowship begins with a July Summit in Washington, DC where participants learn more about their responsibilities in the year to come; complete pre-fellowship assessments and activities; and determine a collaborative class project. Participants also have opportunities to interact with key figures in education policy.

Collaborative Class Project

Classroom and Washington Fellows work on a class project both individually and as a group to leave a lasting impact on the field of education at the national level. Department of Education employees explain the significance of the project and provide direction and suggestions. Appropriate projects are determined, along with action plans for completing them throughout the year.

Policy Liaisons

Classroom Fellows are matched with a liaison within the federal government. The goal of this partnership is to foster dialogue among practitioners, policymakers, and program administrators. Fellows and their liaisons map out a schedule for structured interactions to help ensure that classroom experience informs policy and program decisions. Sharing of experiences also helps classroom teachers to better understand the challenges of policymaking and education program implementation.

Forming a Teacher Leadership Community

After completion of the program, participants are encouraged to continue classroom teaching. They are also encouraged to continue in leadership roles in their home states, and to connect with other teacher leaders in their regions as a leadership community.

Application Procedures

Potential candidates for the Teaching Ambassador Fellowship should access the Applicant Info link for further instructions.