Grounded in community and built to last.
The Teacher Scholar Fellowship is an 11 - month fellowship for teachers in year three and beyond, the point where many teachers either hit their stride or leave. Fellows research real problems in their own school communities, publish what they learn, and grow as leaders without leaving the classroom.
Teacher Scholar Fellowship
Year three is a turning point
By year three, teachers know their students, their building, and beginning to master their craft. It’s also when many decide whether teaching is a career or a chapter. In a 2026 poll of Michigan teachers, 56% said they might leave within five years.1
The Teacher Scholar Fellowship is built for that moment. It gives experienced teachers what keeps them going: a voice in their schools, room to grow, and a way to lead from the classroom.
What is a teacher scholar?
A teacher scholar reads research, conducts research, and writes about their own practice and the school community they serve. Everything fellows study is grounded in their own school community, not abstract theory.
How it works
Research together
Fellows work in groups of four to five, choosing a problem in their school community and investigating it through teacher participatory action research. No fellow works alone.
Publish your work
Each group co-authors an article for Teaching Teacher Review, published under the Teaching Teachers’ Teacher Scholar Fellows with every fellow named.
Lead in your community
Fellows present their findings to school leaders and partners at a public research showcase.
The Fellowship year
July 2027: In person kick institute
August 2027 - April 2028: Monthly two hour online sessions, with research groups meeting in between.
May: In person research showcase
Who should apply: PK - 12 teachers with three or more years of classroom experience
Fellows receive: a stipend, a publication credit, and a year of leadership development
Sponsor a Teacher Scholar
Help keep great teachers in Michigan classrooms. Sponsors make it possible for fellows to take part, publish their research, and lead in their communities.
Be the first to know
The founding cohort launches in summer 2027. Join the interest list to hear when the application opens.