Apply Now for the North Star Fellowship

The North Star Fellowship is a unique opportunity for talented school leaders to get the time and resources needed to launch a high-quality public charter school in Connecticut. The first step in the application process is to submit a Letter of Intent.

The deadline to apply is January 6, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.

About the Letter of Intent

The Letter of Intent serves as an opportunity for the selection committee to get to know candidates as individuals. The questions help the selection committee understand how candidates lead complex projects with a focus on school leadership, equity, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. This is also a candidates first opportunity to introduce the selection committee to the school model and vision they have for their new school.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your Letter of Intent Application or the Fellowship process, please email info@ctnorthstar.org to connect with our team.

Fellowship Qualifications

The North Star Fellowship is looking for applicants who are ready and excited to engage in a charter school development and launch process in Connecticut.

A strong candidate for the North Star Fellowship will possess these qualities:

  • Experience managing teams of adults to achieve outstanding results for students.

  • An ambitious, laser-like focus on academic achievement for all students.

  • A dedication to equity and its impact on students, communities, teachers, and governance.

  • An entrepreneurial drive that uses resilience, fortitude, and visionary solutions to overcome challenges.

  • Able to live and work in Connecticut by the start of the fellowship in late summer 2025

North Star Fellowship Selection Process and Timeline

Letter of Intent (LOI) submission period opens - October 2024

  • LOIs are evaluated against key criteria: school leadership experience and capacity, school model quality, and fit in the educational landscape.

  • Candidates proposing to replicate a model as part of an existing network are also evaluated against organizational quality, readiness, and capacity.

Full Application - January 2025

  • Select candidates who have submitted LOIs are notified if they are invited to complete a full application. About 50% of candidates will be selected to move to the full application.

  • The full application will ask more targeted questions about a candidate’s vision for a new school.

Candidate Interviews - Spring 2025

  • A subset of candidates will be selected to participate in a Panel Interview. In advance of the Panel Interview, candidates will complete a data exercise and a performance task to assess their ability to analyze data and manage complex scenarios.

  • Panel Interviews are conducted by a cross functional team of The Mind Trust and LEAD staff members. The Mind Trust and LEAD will reach out to references and administer formal background checks prior to inviting candidates to the Final Interview.

  • A subset of finalists will be invited to a Final Interview with a team of leaders representing the Connecticut community, The Mind Trust, and LEAD.

North Star fellows are selected - Late Spring 2025

  • North Star Fellows will be selected in late spring of 2025. Programming and the start of the North Star Fellowship will begin in August 2025.

Impact of The Mind Trust’s Fellowships

The North Star Fellowship’s programming and structure will be based on The Mind Trust’s fellowship and investment tracks that have supported the launch of more than 50 public charter and innovation network schools in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Fellowships with The Mind Trust provide a runway for charter school leaders to realize their vision of launching a new school. Our team and partners will support with the charter approval process, facility identification, budgeting, and other aspects to ensure a strong operational and academic structure for opening. View all of our past and current fellows here.

Testimonials from The Mind Trust’s Fellowship Alumni

"Opening a great school takes time. The Mind Trust's fellowship provides both time and the opportunity to learn from and build on the successes and mistakes that other exceptional leaders have made."

–Earl Martin Phalen, CEO and Founder of Phalen Leadership Academies. Phalen is an alumnus of The Mind Trust’s Education Entrepreneurship Fellowship.

"The Mind Trust's Fellowship provided us with invaluable resources, mentorship, and support throughout the launch of Adelante Schools. It also gave us a community of stakeholders to lean on and learn from."

–Eddie Rangel, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Adelante Schools. Rangel is a alumnus of The Mind Trust’s Innovation School Fellowship.

“When I started with KIPP Indy Public Schools some years ago, school leadership was not brand new to me. When they shared the opportunity to do the School Fellowship with The Mind Trust as part of developing KIPP Indy Legacy High, it sounded amazing.

Three things really stood out to me: the exceptional professional development, the chance to connect with veteran leaders, and the partnership with a cohort of Fellows.”

– David Spencer, Founder and School Leader of KIPP Indy Legacy High. Spencer is an alumnus of The Mind Trust’s Innovation School Fellowship.