Frequently Asked Questions

We are seeking early childhood systems leaders employed at the federal, state, county, or city agency levels. Candidates must currently be in roles that involve making policy or programmatic decisions and/or recommendations.

Applicants should have at least 5-8 years of professional experience in policy, advocacy, or systems-building.

Please Note: The Early Childhood Fellowship is not designed for school- or center-based early childhood practitioners, members of academia (e.g., faculty, researchers, etc.), nor individuals seeking postdoctoral fellowship opportunities.

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. However, at this time, it is not designed for those working directly in programs as directors or for other education staff. 

Yes, fellows will need approval from their supervisors to participate in the fellowship and to endorse and champion their capstone project. The application includes a form 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 preparing for meetings, 5 hours for monthly convenings, and one 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. 

All fellows are also required to attend a 2-day in-person convening in New York City in January.

The virtual monthly sessions (February–December) will occur on Fridays from 11:30 AM – 4:30 PM ET. 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 fifth 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 of Education’s leadership program and our Education Center’s professional learning partnerships. Bank Street’s faculty bring extensive expertise in human development and leadership, and our Education Center staff bring experience in state and local systems. The fellowship often brings in experts in the field to speak with fellows during the sessions.