Education Scholars Training Program

The Scholars Strategy Network leads the Education Scholars Training Program, with the support of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative™ and the Bezos Family Foundation. The annual cohort program fosters impactful relationships between education scholars, policymakers, and practitioners. Our mission is to bridge the gap between education research, policy and practice. The program expands the capacity of scholars to influence public policy so that their research can shape education policy in the United States.

The Education Scholars Training Program made its debut in 2024, welcoming a cohort of education scholars who identify as a member of one or more minoritized groups in the academy. Cohort members are nominated for their academic excellence and the potential societal impact of their research. The program includes a combination of in-person and virtual events, all designed to bolster the policy and academic networks of each participant and foster a community of education scholars doing policy-engaged work. 

This year-long program includes a combination of in-person and virtual activities. We kick-off with the Education Research Accelerator, a 2-day in-person convening. Subsequent virtual policy and media engagement trainings and community-building events are spread throughout the year, capped by a celebratory in-person graduation ceremony.

Alongside these events, we facilitate collaborative meetings with policy actors who align with each scholar’s specific research interests. This will allow each member to have input on public policy decisions. Furthermore, we offer individualized assistance to create dissemination materials and engagement roadmaps, providing the tools needed to engage effectively with policymakers, civic intermediaries, and other policy actors.

At the end of the cohort year, members become part of the alumni network and remain eligible for ongoing policy and media engagement support.

Our program builds on the successful model of the Student Experience Research Network's Midcareer Fellows Program. Taken together, the programs aim to elevate the voices that are too often left out of important policy conversations.

To learn more about the program or to get involved, please contact SSN's Director of Training Andrew Pope at [email protected] or Senior Training Associate Shannon Kelly at [email protected].