Emerging Leaders

About the Emerging Leaders Pathway

Since 2019, Marshall Leadership Institute has equipped over 250 emerging and current leaders to create schools where all students thrive. In February 2025, we launched our Emerging Leaders Pathway nationally to address the critical need for prepared, values-driven leaders in education.

We believe in the power of human-centered leadership—focusing on essential and enduring leadership skills, self-awareness, and the resilience to thrive in ever-changing environments. By nurturing these qualities, we help leaders develop the competencies needed to lead in high-stakes, high-impact schools and remain steadfast to serving all students into the future. We operate with a fundamental belief in the capabilities and motivations of our school leaders, and in the enduring power of diverse communities. And we have experienced incredible results:

Impact at a Glance

  • 85% of Fellows advance into school leadership roles within 3 years.
  • 60% of Fellows represent the global majority.
  • 98% of Fellows recommend the pathway to a colleague.
  • 98% of alumni remain in education

2025-26 Cohort

Designed for classroom educators transitioning into leadership roles, the Emerging Leaders Pathway is a year-long, immersive program that blends hands-on leadership training with full-time teaching. The Emerging Leaders pathway is designed for classroom educators looking to transition into school leadership and serves as the initial phase of a comprehensive pipeline designed to identify, develop, and support future school leaders. Cohorts of 10-20 peers engage in self-reflection, deepen essential technical and adaptive leadership skills, and build a values-centered vision for exceptional schools.

The pathway includes:

  • 8 full-day virtual sessions
  • 2 in-person meetings (including school site visits) over the course of 2 days
  • A long-lasting community of innovative, values-driven leaders

Partner Benefits: Present and Future

Partnering with the Marshall Leadership Institute offers immediate and long-term benefits for your school communities.

  • Teachers participating in our Emerging Leaders Pathway will not only strengthen their own leadership capabilities but also enhance your current school culture and increase calamity for current leaders. As they engage in the program, Emerging Leaders will:

    • Increase their leadership presence beyond the classroom by taking on more responsibilities and supporting existing school leaders.
    • Collaborate with current administrators to provide fresh perspectives, contribute to team initiatives, and share insights gained from the program, directly benefiting your school’s leadership capacity.
    • Support your school’s vision by helping implement strategies to improve school culture, staff development, and student outcomes
  • In the future, these emerging leaders will transition into formal leadership roles within your schools, providing your schools, students and communities with:

    • A prepared leader who is already familiar with your school community, culture, strengths and challenges.
    • A pipeline of internal talent, reducing the need to recruit externally for leadership roles.
    • Resilient, values-driven leadership that aligns with your network/district goals and commitment to educational excellence.

    Through this partnership, you are building a sustainable leadership pipeline, where current teachers grow into the impactful school leaders of tomorrow—driving long-term success, nurturing a network-wide culture of professional growth and creating a strong leadership foundation for years to come.

The Power of a Cohort Experience

Akiya Estell Minniefield, Science Department Lead at STRIVE Prep Montbello and SY20-21 Leadership Fellow

Akiya Minniefield

Former teacher and current Principal at Rocky Mountain Prep, Denver, CO

“This Leadership Fellows program offers new and up-and-coming leaders a space for growth, feedback, and achievement. Through different scenarios, we were able to dive into what the role of a school leader truly entails. This is not an ordinary fellowship program. Bonds are intentionally created, feedback is valuable and constructive, and the time was well spent from beginning to end. As I move into a new leadership role at my school I believe that without this program I would have continued to box myself in. After completing the cohort, I feel more confident and ready for the road that lies ahead.”

Leader Profile

  • Nominated and financially sponsored by the leader from a charter network, single school site or school district;
  • Current full-time classroom teacher with a strong desire to advance into educational leadership role/s and a minimum of 3 years teaching experience;
  • Demonstrated potential for leadership, including a record of positive outcomes for students, and a passion for driving positive change within school communities.
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Committed to working collaboratively in a team-based environment and contributing to a supportive cohort of emerging leaders.
  • Willingness to engage in self-reflection, continuous learning, and personal growth throughout the program.

Partner Profile

  • Our most successful partnerships are with schools, CMOs and districts that value a human-centered approach to developing and supporting leaders. Our partners are committed to supporting the most responsive and effective ways to develop leaders for the ever-changing challenges presented in our school communities, and believe in the power of diversity as a pathway to collective growth,
  • We typically work alongside our partners for several years to innovate, iterate and create pipelines that can be sustained by our partners.

Key Dates & Program Calendar: 2025–26

Please note, we will commute admission decisions on a rolling basis, typically within 2-3 weeks of a submitted application. All admissions decisions will be communicated by June 15, 2025 OR until all open seats are filled, whichever comes first.
All Emerging leaders will be assigned to a cohort with other leaders from a similar region. Leaders will either meet on Tuesday or Thursday depending on which cohort they are assigned to.
    • Date and time:
      Thursday, March 6th, 2025
      2pmPST/5pmEST
    • Who: All interested candidates
    • Resource: Registration Link
    • Date and time:
      Tuesday, April 8th, 2025
      3pmPST/6pmEST
    • Who: All interested candidates
    • Resource: Registration Link
    • Date and time:
      Thursday, April 17th, 2025
      9amPST/12pmEST
    • Who: All interested candidates
    • Resource: Registration Link
    • Date and time:
      Friday, May 30th, 2025
      5pmPST/8pmEST
    • Who: All applicants
    • Date and time:
      Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025
      5pmPST/8pmEST
    • Who: All applicants
    • Date and time:
      Tuesday, Aug 19th, 2024
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort A
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Thursday, Aug 21st, 2024
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort B
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Tuesday, September 9th, 2025
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort A
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Thursday, September 11th, 2025
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort B
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Oct 8th-10th, 2025
      1pm Wednesday to 1pm Friday
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohorts A & B
    • Resource: Host city TBD
    • Date and time:
      Tuesday, November 4th, 2025
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort A
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Thursday, November 6th, 2025
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort B
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Tuesday, December 9th, 2025
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort A
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Thursday, December 11th, 2025
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort B
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Tuesday, January 13th, 2026
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort A
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Thursday, January 15th, 2026
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort A
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Tuesday, February 10th, 2026
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort A
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Thursday, February 12th, 2026
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort B
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      March 11th-13th, 2026
      1pm Wednesday to 1pm Friday
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohorts A & B
    • Resource: Host city TBD
    • Date and time:
      Tuesday, April 14th, 2026
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort A
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Thursday, April 16th, 2026
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort B
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Tuesday, May 12th, 2026
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort A
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD
    • Date and time:
      Thursday, May 14th, 2026
      9am-3pm
    • Who: Emerging Leaders, Cohort B
    • Resource: Zoom link TBD

The Journey from Teaching to Leading

Melissa Dubay

Former teacher and current Director of Curriculum & Instruction at DSST, Denver, CO

“It is so hard when teaching to get out of the day-to-day routine within my own school. This group provided me an opportunity to learn, grow, and reflect with other like-minded people looking to take the next step in their careers. I have learned more about myself in these past few months than I ever have in my professional career. I have also learned the leadership skills that I never would have acquired if I did not join.”

Tuition, Commitment, and Completion: 2025–26

Tuition for the Emerging Leaders pathway is $9,800 per participant, for 8 virtual sessions and 2 in-person convenings with school site visits. Tuition rates are reduced for early registration and acceptance, and for sites with 3+ participants enrolled. Tuition payments can be submitted as a single payment before the first session, or as 2 payment installments, one before the first session and one at the midpoint. These rates include all costs related to materials, for virtual and in-person sessions, and meals for site visits (flights for out-of-town participants and accommodations are the responsibility of our partners).

All Emerging Leaders are expected to engage in a minimum of 85% of all programming, which includes 8 full-day, virtual sessions and 2, three-day in-person convenings that include school site visits. We ask that Emerging Leaders participate in the virtual sessions at a location other than their campus to remain fully engaged.