After nearly 25 years of impact and more than 220 schools launched nationwide, BES (build. excel. sustain.) is recruiting its next cohort of public school founders for its 2026 BES Fellowship, with an extended application deadline of March 30.
“The 2026 BES Fellowship represents 25 years of impact,” said BES Chief Executive Officer Aasimah Navlakhi. “Our commitment to expanding access to excellent education is stronger than ever, and we are excited to work with more leaders who are ready to build high-quality schools that reflect the needs of their communities and will prepare students to thrive.”
Since 2001, BES Fellows have founded over 220 schools that are currently serving more than 75,000 students in 55 cities across 23 states and Washington, D.C.
Priority regions for the 2026 BES Fellowship include:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- Georgia
- Ohio
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
The BES Fellowship is a four- or five-year process featuring one or two years of training, followed by three years of dedicated post-authorization support through Follow On Support to ensure that new schools start strong and sustain excellence over time. Fellows work closely with coaches who guide them in areas including school design, governance, and finance and operations. BES also partners with local and national partners who provide them additional support.
“It all started with a dream of building a school that didn’t just prepare students to survive the world as it is, but to shape the world as it could be,” said 2024 BES Fellow China Cardriche-Clements, Proposed Founder & Executive Director of Power Public Schools in Atlanta, GA. “BES believed in the dream early, pushed me to refine it with clarity and rigor, and provided the space, tools, and encouragement to turn vision into action. More than anything, BES helped me see that this dream wasn’t just possible — it was necessary.”
BES Fellows have designed schools that serve students across the K-12 continuum and focus on rigorous academics and postsecondary readiness for college and/or career. To meet their community’s needs, these have differing instructional models, design priorities, and student populations, including the arts, character and equity, early college and dual enrollment, CTE and industry-aligned specializations, dual language, entrepreneurship, montessori, serving students with diverse special needs, STEM & STEAM, and more.
BES seeks experienced leaders who have demonstrated success in student achievement and have led and developed adults in the K-12 settings. Strong candidates have deep ties to the communities they serve, long-term commitment to educational equity, and a vision to design schools grounded in community voice and rigorous academics.
In addition to receiving a $100,000+ grant for each training year, BES Fellows receive benefits including tech support, travel and accommodations for school studies, and reimbursements for healthcare, moving, and school design expenses.
Interested applicants can learn more and apply at bes.org/fellowship.
BES (build. excel. sustain.) – formerly Building Excellent Schools – is a national nonprofit organization that has been identifying and preparing excellent leaders to transform education in their communities for 25 years. From school founders and executive directors, to operations leaders, deans of students, and directors of curriculum and instruction, BES trains leaders to build schools, to ensure their schools excel, and to sustain their results over time. View our Annual Report and learn more at bes.org.
Applications for the 2026 BES Fellowship will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible in order to secure limited spots in our available regions. Fellowship placements in priority regions are made possible by local funding and support from our various regional partners. An additional 1-2 placements per year are made possible through national funding that can be flexibly allocated to regions with demonstrated community need. If you are interested in the BES Fellowship, but located outside of a priority region, we invite you to complete an interest form. Learn more about the program at bes.org/fellowship.
