At Educators for Excellence, we believe that teachers should play a leading role in shaping the policies that affect their students and their profession. The Massachusetts Educators Collective for Change is a statewide cohort of educators that shape the policy agenda for Educators for Excellence – Massachusetts (E4E-MA), inform state education policy, contribute to advocacy campaigns, and elevate teacher voices on critical issues.
Now more than ever it’s crucial for educators to engage in advocacy. As Massachusetts leaders consider tackling the literacy crisis, graduation requirements, educator diversity, and more we know that those most impacted should play a role in influencing strong policy. For example, the literacy crisis is one key issue we plan to tackle this coming year. Massachusetts has the #1 ranked education system in the US, yet, half of fourth-graders can’t read proficiently, and reading proficiency for Black and Latino students is closer to that of the average student in the lowest-performing states. Reading on grade level by third grade is one of the strongest predictors of success in school and life.
Massachusetts is considering a bill to address the literacy crisis. S.338/H.698, “an Act to promote high-quality, comprehensive literacy instruction in all Massachusetts schools,” aims to create a more equitable education system by encouraging schools to adopt evidence-based literacy instruction and providing funding for professional development to support the shift. Debunked theories on literacy instruction should no longer guide students’ experiences. While over 80% of educators support districts requiring high-quality instructional materials, opponents of the bill are hesitant to hold our classrooms to that standard. To address the literacy crisis and so much more, we are seeking educators passionate about advocacy to advance equitable policies for students.
We invite you to apply to join us in shaping this special opportunity to bring together educators who are passionate about building their leadership and working toward real statewide change to strengthen educational outcomes for Massachusetts kids.
APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026 MECC ARE NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.
Strong Fellowship Candidates are:
- Teacher leaders who are passionate about playing a role in engaging in advocacy or policy implementation, whether within their school district or larger community
- Strong community leaders who have experience with direct advocacy actions (attending hearings, working with media, collecting signatures, making phone calls), union leadership, and/or coaching or mentoring peers
- Critical thinkers who can think big and beyond their individual classroom
- Educators who are energized by discussing policy and interested in learning more about policy levers most associated with the evidence base for improved student outcomes
- Educators from diverse backgrounds and contexts to inform a variety of approaches that the Cohort can learn from
Leadership Cohort Opportunities and Benefits:
- Participants in the fellowship will receive a $1,500 honorarium for fulfilling the attendance and participation requirements. This will be distributed in two payments at the midpoint (June 2026) and end (December 2026) of the cohort. Those in the second year of their participation will receive a $2,000 honorarium for fulfilling the attendance and participation requirements.
- All expenses paid, in-person retreats, and advocacy opportunities
- Opportunity to be part of a group of leaders in similar roles across the country who share a desire to make a difference in their communities through their schools; engagement with shared problems of practice with peers, unique to the charter school setting
- Learning & training from national experts in communications, leadership, advocacy, and organizing
- Opportunities exist to expand your impact beyond your classroom through public writing and speaking, such as Op-Eds/Policy Briefings, social media campaigns, conferences, panels, etc.
Requirements:
- The cohort members can expect to commit 8-10 hours per month from January 2026 – December 2026, or 2-3 hours per week. Please note, all travel expenses will be covered, as will any applicable substitute costs to your school (with school leadership approval)
- Attend 80% of biweekly cohort virtual meetings
- Meet with your E4E organizer one-on-one twice per month
- Monthly participation in campaign tactics like authoring op-eds, delivering testimony, collecting petitions, and hosting events
Members Commit to:
- Drive grassroots tactics in your community, which may include phone banks, petition collecting, organizing events, attending rallies, writing and publishing op-eds, and attending advocacy meetings
- Actively participate in bi-weekly virtual learning and cohort engagement sessions, and 2 in-person convenings
- Review pre-work/post-work to maximize professional learning experiences and support your skill development as a union leader
- Provide evidence/artifacts/support (publicly available) from your local context to support shared problem-solving on problems of practice
APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026 MECC ARE NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.
If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Megan Bart at [email protected].