Careers

Fellowships

2026 K-12 Policy Fellow

Position Description:

Waypoint Education Partners is seeking a K-12 Policy Fellow who is a collaborative, organized problem-solver and has a strong interest in education. If you are excited to learn more about how communications and advocacy shape education policy, the Waypoint K-12 Policy Fellow position offers a unique opportunity for professional growth and learning.

K-12 Policy Fellows are enthusiastic, innovative, and strategic thinkers with excellent verbal and written communications skills. They are team players and have a strong commitment to our clients. They enjoy being part of an inclusive culture that values diverse experiences and viewpoints. They also are fun to work with and develop working relationships that benefit them far after their fellowships have ended.

This is a six-month, part-time position geared toward master’s and PhD students, early career professionals, and those looking to enter the field of education policy, advocacy, and communications. Fellows are expected to work between 15-20 hours per week, depending on current projects, to be mainly fulfilled during regular working hours (in any U.S. time zone).

This position affords the opportunity to:

Gain firsthand experience working on a variety of projects designed to research, communicate, and advocate for specific programs and policies in K-12 education.
Have regular interaction with a team of education experts with decades of experience at all levels of government and with school districts, nonprofits, etc.
Experience how policy and advocacy work translates into real-life projects and initiatives.
Learn how to work in a professional environment with senior leaders across education advocacy organizations, policymakers, and the business community.

Qualifications:

Demonstrated interest in education and workforce policy and/or advocacy, with knowledge of K-12 education policy preferred.
Intellectual curiosity, motivation, and desire to learn on-the-job. Must be a self-starter and be able to work independently and with a team.
Strong research and writing abilities. Some understanding of qualitative and quantitative data analysis is preferred.
Ability to translate and broadly communicate complex research, policy, and legislation topics for a variety of audiences.

Responsibilities:

Waypoint Policy Fellows perform a variety of tasks that support our partners and staff in our legislative, media, research and policy, and administrative work.

Conducting background research and analysis on a variety of state and federal policy issues.
Monitoring news and education policy-related publications for stories related to client interests and activities.
Contributing to the development of client deliverables, including presentations of findings, memos and reports, and general thought partnership.
Attending webinars/meetings and writing synopses.
Compiling and assembling information requested by clients, as necessary.
Reviewing and providing feedback on both client and Waypoint documents.
Assisting with general client meeting planning tasks.
Contributing to an inclusive culture that values diverse experiences and viewpoints.

Length of employment: