6 Ways the National Aspiring Principals Fellowship Stands Out in Principal Preparation

If you’re an educator who’s ready to lead, but not necessarily ready to hit pause on your current career right away to earn a principal license, there’s one program you need to know about.

The New Leaders National Aspiring Principals Fellowship—offered in partnership with our two university partners—Bank Street College of Education and Clark Atlanta University—isn’t your average principal preparation program. A big reason why we created the Fellowship is to solve the exact challenges that often keep incredible teachers from stepping into school leadership: time, access, support, and cost.

If you have been feeling the pull toward school leadership and notice your colleagues already look to you for ideas or big-picture thinking, this could be the moment to start exploring how to become a principal.

Here are six reasons why the Fellowship could be a great opportunity for you to move from “aspiring leader” to “actual leader”: 

1. Stay in Your Teaching Role While Preparing for Principal Certification

In many traditional principal preparation programs, aspiring principals often have to adjust their schedules, take on unpaid residencies, or complete practicum hours at another school site. 

Unlike many traditional principal preparation programs, the Fellowship is a flexible, job-embedded principal residency program that lets you earn your principal certification while staying in your current role. You’ll lead team meetings, coach colleagues, manage data cycles, and complete a capstone project that addresses a real need in your building. 

It’s not just learning about leadership. It’s doing the work now, so you’re ready to lead the moment you earn your certification.

2. Get One-on-One Coaching From Experienced School Leaders

Every participant in the Fellowship is matched with an experienced coach—often a former or current principal—who provides dedicated, personalized support throughout the program. Your coach works with you on the real leadership challenges you’re facing in your building at the moment, whether it’s facilitating a difficult conversation, managing competing priorities, or designing a stronger instructional plan.

Coaches help you build confidence, clarify your leadership identity, and reflect in real time. And because they’ve led schools themselves, they know exactly how complex, high-stakes, and deeply human this work is. That makes their feedback not just actionable, but incredibly affirming all at the same time. 

“I chose the fellowship for my leadership journey because I felt like the Fellowship could help me be a more adaptive leader. My coach supported me in so many ways and helped throughout the whole process.” Mario Hoyle, Fellowship Alum

3. Join a nationwide cohort of changemakers.

One of the most powerful parts of the Fellowship is the community you build. You’ll be surrounded by a diverse group of educators from across the country—teachers, deans, instructional coaches, and other aspiring principals—who each bring their own context, experiences, and passions to the table.

Through virtual cohort sessions, collaborative projects, and facilitated discussions, you’ll have the space to exchange ideas, ask the hard questions, and problem-solve alongside people who not only get it, but are also wrestling with the same challenges and opportunities. These are relationships that won’t end when you graduate from the program—they have the ability to evolve into lifelong thought partners and allies in future education work. 

“The fellowship helped me grow by being connected to people all across the nation.” Mary Nikoo, Fellowship Alum 

4. Learn to lead with clarity, purpose, and responsiveness.

Great school leaders don’t just manage people or processes—they build cultures where everyone can thrive. In the Fellowship, you’ll explore how to create a school environment that reflects both the strengths and needs of the community you serve. You’ll work closely with faculty and peers to strengthen your ability to listen, respond, and make decisions that reflect your school’s vision for student success.

The program emphasizes inclusive leadership practices, like building trust, supporting teacher growth, and designing learning environments that reach every student. You’ll walk away with real strategies for leading with vision, integrity, and impact.

“One of the things that I think is really incredible about the fellowship is we're not only learning about content we are asked to consistently and constantly apply the content to our practice both in hypothetical situations but then also apply them to our actual school settings.” Krystian Palmero, Fellowship Alum

5. Be ready to lead from Day One.

The Fellowship, foundationally, is about earning a certification—but it’s so much more, too. It’s about becoming the kind of leader your school—or your future school—needs now. Every element of the program, from your residency and capstone to your coursework and coaching, is designed to prepare you for the real demands of the principalship.

You’ll learn how to:

• Design and lead instructional improvement efforts
• Coach and support teachers across experience levels
• Navigate tough decisions with confidence and transparency
• Use data to guide actions—not just analysis
• Strengthen school operations and allocate resources where they matter most

6. Flexible, Affordable Principal Preparation That Fits Your Life

The Fellowship was designed for educators with full plates and full ambitions. You can choose from either one of the two track options that work best for you and your goals:

• Certification-Only Track | 18 credit hours | ~11 months
• Master’s + Certification Track | 30 credit hours | ~16 months

The program meets licensure requirements in 40+ states. And, thanks to the generous support of our funding partners, scholarships that cover up to the full cost of the certification-only program are available to help reduce financial barriers. We firmly believe that cost shouldn’t be the reason someone walks away from their calling to lead in education. 

Strong schools start with strong leadership

Too often, the pathway to becoming a principal is filled with barriers, like rigid requirements, unclear outcomes, or programs that simply don’t prepare you for the real work ahead.

The National Aspiring Principals Fellowship was designed to change that. It meets you where you are. It builds on the strengths you already have. And it prepares you to lead with confidence, clarity, and care—on day one and beyond.

Whether you're ready to apply or still gathering information, now’s the time to explore what’s possible. Start your application today, or learn more about the Fellowship experience.