Teachers with successful strategies for increasing student achievement are encouraged to obtain principal support to apply for Teaching Ambassador Fellowship positions with the U.S. Department of Education through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) for the 2008-2009 school year. Teachers will be chosen based upon their record of leadership, impact on student achievement, and potential for contribution to the field. All Fellows will complete a collaborative project to contribute to the field of education at the national level, and will be encouraged to work with their principals and with government liaisons throughout the year. The program offers two tracks: Classroom and Washington Fellows.

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

• Classroom Fellows will serve their regular teaching contracts for the 2008-2009 school year, performing all duties associated with their established contracts.
• Classroom Fellows will participate in Fellowship activities outside of their regular teaching contract hours. These activities include communicating with government liaisons and other Department of Education employees, collaborating with other Fellows, completing written assignments, working on a class project, etc. Classroom Fellows will be 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 will work with their government liaisons, a staff member at the Department of Education, and their school leadership to approve and coordinate any potential days out of the classroom. These days will be used for Fellows to participate in relevant activities within the education community in their state and/or region.

Washington Fellows will serve as full-time federal employees in Washington, DC from the summer of 2008 through June 2009, placed in appropriate positions within the Department of Education to work on education program development and implementation. They will focus on using their previous classroom experience to contribute knowledge and insight to various Department projects. They will spend the majority of their time working in Program Offices, and collaborating with other Fellows. They will spend some time contributing their perspectives to policy discussions.

• Washington Fellows will be assigned to appropriate positions within the Department of Education. Specific tasks will 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 will participate in activities designed to increase their knowledge and understanding of federal education policy and program management. Fellows will meet for discussions and sessions to explore strategies around needs and best practices in public education. They will help to coordinate communication and collaboration with Classroom Fellows and the Department of Education.
• Washington Fellows will be responsible for completing their individual tasks for a class project. These tasks might involve discussions and interactions with the government liaisons and with other Fellows. Washington Fellows will serve as primary facilitators for coordinating work with Classroom Fellows.

Principals will be encouraged to provide school leadership support for their participating teacher Fellows. They will be 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.

Summer Convention

The Fellowship will begin with a Summer Convention where participants will learn more about their responsibilities in the year to come; complete pre-fellowship assessments and activities; and determine a collaborative class project. Participants will have opportunities to interact with key figures in education policy.

Collaborative Class Project

Classroom and Washington Fellows will 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 will explain the significance of the project and provide direction and suggestions (web-based tools and forums, guides to grant opportunities at regional and local levels, etc.). An appropriate project will be determined, along with an action plan for completing it throughout the year.

Government Liaisons

Classroom Fellows will be 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 will map out a schedule for structured interactions to help ensure that classroom experience informs policy and program decisions. Sharing of experiences will also help classroom teachers to better understand the challenges of policymaking and education program implementation.

Forming a Teacher Leadership Community

After completion of the program, participants will be encouraged to continue classroom teaching. They will also be 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

Highly Qualified K-12 teachers of all subjects from public schools who have spent at least three years in the classroom are eligible to apply. Potential candidates for the Teaching Ambassador Fellowship should access the Applicant Info link for further instructions and to locate the application. Applications are due by the closing time posted on the vacancy announcement. Up to 20 Classroom Fellows and up to 5 Washington Fellows will be named by the summer of 2008.