The NASSP and NAESP are pleased to announce that, at the urging of their two national organizations, the US Department of Education has begun the creation of the Principal Ambassador Fellowship Program.

The program will be administered by the department similar to the successful Teacher Ambassador Program. This year, three principals will be selected to serve as advisors to Secretary Arne Duncan and the departmental staff to, as the Secretary has described the role, “provide input on policy from the principal’s perspective.”

The program will begin in 2013 as a pilot to focus on developing and refining the fellowship program going forward. The fellowship will require approximately 20 hours per month from Ambassadors. Principals will not be required to fulfill the fellowships in Washington, DC, and will be able to remain in their schools. However, the pilot program may require some travel for in-person meetings. Subsequent years will require the principals to relocate to Washington, DC, for the year-long fellowship. Details are in development, but here’s what we currently know:
• The department will open the application process in the beginning of May and last approximately four-six weeks.
• Principal Ambassadors will be selected in October 2013 for the 2013-2014 year.
• The application process will be similar to the Teacher Ambassador Program and require principals to have served in their schools and in their current positions for a certain length of time, along with recommendation letters to accompany the application.

The application requires a tight turnaround during a challenging time of the year, so begin preparing materials now. We hope you will consider taking advantage of this important opportunity to bring principals to the table and let their voices be heard.