Washington State Fellows' Network

The Washington State Fellows’ Network, a three-year program, is a group of instructional leaders convened by the OSPI and the Association of Educational Service Districts (AESD) to support district and community implementation of state learning standards in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science.

For more information, including the benefits of the Fellows' program, please visit AESD's Washington State Fellows' Network website.

Fellows' Resources

All applicants are encouraged to consider a multi-year commitment to reap the full benefits of the program; prospective applicants who can commit to only one year may still participate.

• 2025–26 New and Returning Fellows Application
• 2025–26 Emeritus Fellows Interest Survey
• Assurances for 2025–26 Fellows - This document must be signed by the applicant and their district or program leadership, then uploaded, in order to submit an application to the Washington State Fellows' Network.

Emeritus Fellows

Fellows who have participated for more than three years “graduate” may elect to become Emeritus Fellows. Emeritus Fellows remain connected to the Fellows’ Network, with opportunities for leadership through local, regional, and/or state initiatives, should they so choose.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do the three content areas of the Network have in common?

Regional ESD Coordinators, in collaboration with OSPI content-area leadership, convene the Fellows four times a year to engage in shared learning. Common to all three areas is a commitment to build content learning and instructional leadership, and a focus on equity.

How does someone become a Fellow?

Fellows complete an application process, and then OSPI and the AESD collaborate to select Fellows. The application process is held in the spring, and notifications are usually made mid-summer for the next school year. The criteria guiding selection of Fellows include:

• Geographical distribution across region
• Grade band representation
• (Math, ELA, Science) Evidence of district CCSS/NGSS implementation plans
• Strong district/community support
• Instructional leaders with access to classrooms
• Active in professional learning
• (Math, ELA, Science) Deep understanding of the CCSS/NGSS
• Previous leadership with the ESD, district, or community

What are the commitments of a Fellow?

• Complete Assurances: Work collaboratively with school principal/district leadership (if the Fellow is a teacher) to review and sign the Assurances, which must be accessed and uploaded into the Fellow’s application prior to the first convening. (If there is a change in the principal or the Fellow’s work assignment between the time of acceptance and the next school year, the Assurances page will need to be signed by the new administrator prior to the first convening of the following school year to ensure continued participation.)
• Complete a Fellow's Plan: Collaborate with your district administrator and/or the school principal (if the Fellow is a teacher) to complete the Fellow's Plan that outlines how the Fellow’s leadership will be utilized to support the school, district, or community organization’s implementation of Washington State K–12 Learning Standards (CCSS or NGSS). Submit the completed Fellow's Plan to your Regional Coordinator after each Fellows' Network convening and at the end of the school year 
• Attend Fellows’ Network Convenings: Fellows must attend and participate in regional professional learning convenings and implement learning from the convenings within your own instructional practice. The Fellows’ Network has four convenings per year for each content area and may have additional virtual check-ins. (Note: Travel and substitute costs associated with all Fellows' professional learning will need to be financially supported by the school district.)
  • After each Fellows' Network convening, meet with a district leader and/or the school principal (if the Fellow is a teacher) to revisit and update Fellow's Plan in supporting implementation of Washington State K–12 Learning Standards (CCSS and NGSS).
• Engage in providing data which could include but is not limited to, student work samples, participation surveys, formative assessment data, sphere of impact, etc.
• Use the instructional leadership skills developed as a Fellow to widen the circle of learning. Provide learning opportunities for teachers within the school and/or district as agreed within the Fellow's Plan. Pay it forward.
  • Once a Fellow is accepted, every effort will be made by the ESD Coordinator to support their success. If circumstances occur that result in the Fellow not fulfilling their commitment, the Regional Coordinator will meet first with the Fellow to problem solve. If follow-up is needed, the Regional Coordinator will meet with the district leader and/or the school principal to ensure the building/district has a Fellow.

What are the commitments of the school and district administration?

• Assurances: Work collaboratively with the Fellow to review and sign the Assurances page of the Fellow’s application. (If there is a change in the principal or the Fellow’s work assignment between the time of acceptance and the next school year, the Assurances page will need to be signed by the new administrator prior to September 30 of the following school year to ensure continued participation.)
• Fellow’s Plan: Collaborate with the Fellow to complete the Fellow's Plan that outlines how the Fellow’s leadership will be utilized to support the school, district, or community organization’s implementation of Washington State K–12 Learning Standards.
• Fellows’ Network Convenings: Meet with the Fellow after each Fellows' Network convening to revisit and update the Fellow's Plan. Provide opportunities for the Fellow to share their learnings with colleagues or community members.
• Travel and Substitute Costs: Support possible travel, substitute, and registration costs for Fellows to attend and participate in a minimum of four one-day regional professional learning convenings. Convenings may be a combination of in-person and virtual.