A tuition-free program for public education leaders dedicated to strengthening public school systems and the communities they serve.
The Fellowship for Public Education Leadership is a tuition-free executive leadership program for senior-level public education leaders from across the country who are dedicated to strengthening public school systems and the communities they serve. Fellows drive transformative work happening in urban school districts, charter networks, and state and federal education agencies that advances equity and excellence for all students.

Through deep connections within the cohort, engagement with SOM faculty expertise, and interaction with leading practitioners, the Fellowship offers the opportunity to reexamine present and future challenges in public education and reimagine what is possible for America’s youth. At Yale, Fellows have expanded access to investigate interdisciplinary questions with experts in public health, child development, urban planning, and more. Bringing this highly selective leadership development program to its new home in New Haven provides opportunities to highlight and partner with local students, families, educators, and leaders who are strengthening public education.
The 10-month program seeks to bolster efforts to achieve performance improvements through participant-centered learning, peer coaching, and project work. Fellows develop a network of the incredibly diverse public school system and cabinet-level leaders – including superintendents, chief executive officers, and commissioners of education – who share a commitment to the joint pursuit of excellence and equity. To accelerate the impact of these visionary leaders, the program curriculum focuses on leadership development at multiple levels: self, team, organization, and society.
Program Structure
The Fellowship for Public Education Leadership is a tuition-free, non-degree program. Fellows will convene for in-person sessions 4 times over the course of a 10-month program from October through June. Each in-person session will run from Monday morning through midday Friday and will primarily take place in New Haven, CT at the Yale School of Management campus.



Fellows will explore new ideas, tools, and frameworks in order to apply multiple answers to the following questions:
How can I…
- Better understand myself, my purpose and values, and grow in my own leadership, including how I communicate and relate to others?
- Manage teams and resources strategically, based on needs, and effectively, to implement meaningful initiatives and achieve outcomes?
- Navigate and lead effectively in partnership with stakeholders?
- Pursue a vision for sustained change for all students, especially in the communities we have historically underserved?
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are an essential part of school systems leadership and of the Fellowship for Public Education Leadership. As Fellows consider these questions alongside their cohort, they will also make the following DEI connections to the above questions: reflecting on their own own equity journey, including where they hold power and privilege, and what that means for how they relate to others; how diversity, equity, and inclusion intersect with how they manage teams and how decisions are made within their organization; how diversity, equity, and inclusion intersect with the stakeholders they engage with and who influences decisions; and ensuring they have a clear vision for the sustained change they want to create for students, with equity in mind.
Scott Gordon ’88, The Broad Academy 2014-15
"We need folks who can run things and manage things, but also have a heart for the work and understand that we're here for a purpose, and there's kids at the end of it." -Scott Gordon, The Broad Academy 2014-15
Application Information
Fellows demonstrate an exceptional ability to produce results, a deep desire to grow their leadership, and a strong commitment to expanding access to a world-class public education for every American student. We believe that cohorts at The Broad Center at Yale SOM must reflect the diversity of the urban school communities where cohort members serve.
The application for the 2024-25 cohort will open in January 2024. If you are interested in joining a future cohort, read more about our admissions process and get answers to frequently asked questions about the Fellowship for Public Education Leadership.
2024-2025
The 2024-2025 cohort will convene in person for four weeks of on-campus sessions during the following program dates:
- Virtual Orientation: August 14, 2024
- Module 1: October 7-11, 2024
- Module 2: January 27-31, 2025
- Module 3: March 17-21, 2025
- Module 4: June 23-27, 2025
Our Campus
The Broad Center at the Yale School of Management is located in New Haven, Connecticut a place rich with history, culture, and community. Approximately 20 square miles with nearly 130,000 residents, New Haven has been called a “city of neighborhoods,” each with residential, shopping and recreation areas and distinctive histories. The city has a thriving arts and music scene, as well as a growing array of small businesses that are deeply connected to city residents and to the Yale community. New Haven is a hub for innovation, not only in business, but also in education. The New Haven Public School District has a student population of over 20,000 and remains one of the largest School Choice Programs in the State of Connecticut.
Our home city is convenient to Boston and New York with easy access from Philadelphia and Washington. Yale SOM is located at 165 Whitney Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut, at the north east corner of Yale University’s campus. During sessions, accommodation will be provided for Fellows at a hotel in downtown New Haven, just steps from the heart of Yale University, the New Haven Town Green, and museums, restaurants, and shopping.