Aspiring Principal Fellowship 2026-2027 Application

The Louisiana Department of Education is excited to offer the Aspiring Principal Fellowship for the 2026-2027 school year.

This selective, year-long leadership fellowship supports up to 50 aspiring school leaders as they prepare to step confidently into the principalship. Through immersive learning experiences, statewide collaboration, and direct engagement with exemplary Louisiana principals, fellows develop the knowledge, skills, and leadership habits necessary to lead schools toward high-quality instruction, strong school environments, and improved student outcomes.

Participants engage in full-day on-site school visits with high-performing principals, collaborative professional learning aligned with Louisiana’s academic vision, and job-embedded leadership practice grounded in real school contexts.

Please complete the application below to begin your 2026-2027 Aspiring Principal Fellowship leadership journey.

The deadline for Application Submission is April 1, 2026.

Name*

First NameLast Name

Email*

example@example.com

Phone Number*

Please enter a valid phone number.

School System Name*

Have you participated in and completed a local Aspiring Principal/School Leader Program in your system? Please answer "yes" or "no"*

Current Role*

How many years have you been in a leadership/ administrator role?*

Are you planning to apply for Principal positions within the next three years? Please respond with "yes" if you intend to apply within that time frame, or "no" if you do not aspire to become a principal or if you plan to apply more than three years from now*

Submit a link to a video, accessible via YouTube, in which you personally appear and speak, defining the purpose of school leadership from your viewpoint. The video must be shareable to anyone with the link and is limited to a maximum length of 2 minutes.*

The Louisiana Leader Rubric for Instructional Leadership includes the following indicators: Curriculum and Assessment, Teacher Effectiveness, Meeting Student Needs, and Instructional Focus. Which of these indicators do you consider to be your Reinforcement/Strength area? Why do you think it’s your strength? Please explain your reasoning and provide specific examples.*

According to the Louisiana Leader Rubric for School and Community Environment, a school leader is responsible for establishing systems that promote a safe and positive atmosphere on campus for students, staff, families, and community stakeholders. Please describe a system or actions you have implemented or plan to implement that fosters a positive school environment.*

According to the Louisiana Leader Rubric for Instructional Leadership, an effective school leader is tasked with planning and prioritizing instructional practices in alignment with system and school goals while making decisions. Please describe how your decisions as a school leader prioritize instructional practices that are aligned with the system and school goals. *

The Louisiana Leader Rubric School Mission, Vision, and Strategic Goal Setting domain states that an effective leader establishes data-driven goals and actions for student achievement. Identify a specific data-driven goal in your school setting that is impacting student achievement.*

This letter should be signed by the applicant's current supervisor and the system superintendent, confirming their support for the following: Leave from their building to attend all training sessions; System-funded travel covering mileage and hotel expenses for attending the training sessions; Agreement to cover the fellowship tuition of $1,000 by October 31st.*

By submitting this application, you are agreeing to, if selected, attend and actively participate in all meetings and activities associated with the Aspiring Principal Fellowship. *