Our Fellowship
The School Board Partners National Policy & Governance Fellowship.
Our fellowship is designed to close competency gaps in policy-making and governance among school board members. We equip leaders with the skills needed to evaluate, craft, pass, and implement kid-first policies. With a focus on policy, governance, and relationship-centered leadership, the fellowship builds participants’ capacity in communication, leadership development, and effective governance—ensuring they’re prepared to lead with both skill and heart.
When you become a fellow, you will:
Receive professional development in four areas:
Good Governance
Student-Centered Strategies
Personal Leadership
Self Care.
Join a cohort of other school board members from around the country
Work with a mentor and a policy coach to help turn your campaign promises into real policy change for students.
Enjoy SBP’s deepest level of personalized support
Applications for Cohort 8 will be open shortly.
“You’re going to find like-minded people who are looking for a way to get our communities from good to great, ensuring that we have an equity lens, a focus on students, and the community overall.”
— Rafael “Rafa” Diaz, Judson ISD, TX
Our Fellowship Programming Area
How our curriculum, training and conference sessions are organized
Good Governance
Training to support school board members to govern effectively so you can lead with courage, competence and impact.
Student-Centered Strategies
Training to recognize and reduce systemic barriers helps board members lead across differences and advocate for culturally responsive, equitable policies.
Personal Leadership
Board members must understand their own leadership strengths and weaknesses to be the most influential and effective leaders possible.
Self Care
We introduce board members to self-care practices that will sustain them in the role so they can lead by example when under pressure, successfully finish their term, and run for re-election
WATCH
Programming Areas
Dive deeper into the four programming areas of an SBP Fellowship.
What To Expect From the Fellowship
Program Duration
One-year duration with an intimate cohort.
Structure
Orientation: 90-Minute virutal session introducing SBP,
the fellowship and expectations.
Webinars: Ten 90-minute virtual sessions.
Mentorship and Coaching: Mentors and coaches are
assigned to provide guidance and support.
National Conference: Attend the “Our Collective
Power” Conference. Limited scholarships available.
Policy Toolkit: Access to research-based model policies.
Community of Practice: Learn with other leaders from around the country.
The Skin in the Game Commitment
$50 application fee
$200 program fee
Flight to OCP
*Costs can be paid via district or personally.
Benefits for Districts and Board Members
Build tactical competency, including an understanding in governance, policy development, and strategic planning.
Develop relational competencies that include exercising effective communication, conflict resolution, and collaboration techniques to build and maintain trust across lines of difference.
Acquire leadership skills through leveraging influential positions such as board chairs and presidents, where they build consensus around their boards’ priorities and strategic directions.
Making Nationwide Impact
Our fellows come from various regions across the United States, leading the charge in implementing innovative and kid-first policies in their respective school districts. These dedicated leaders are not only improving educational outcomes but also fostering inclusive, supportive environments for all students.
Check out the kids-first policies our Fellows are passing! View Exemplars.
Additional Opportunities
For an extra $1,500, you can also receive an Empowered Governance Certificate which includes two graduate credits from Colorado State University Global, as well as the physical certificate. This discount is only available to SBP fellows.
Learn more about the Empowered Governance Certificate program.