Apply to HPEF
The application asks you to reflect on your leadership experience and judgment, including how you engage with people with varying perspectives and how you weigh student needs in complex decisions. It takes most applicants 15 minutes to complete.
About the Housotn Public Education Fellowship
HPEF is seeking people who are committed to improving student outcomes, curious about how school systems are governed, open to learning from different perspectives and interested in exploring how they might contribute as trustees, advocates, advisors or leaders in other parts of Houston’s public education system.
You do not need to come from education or already know how you want to serve. What matters most is a commitment to students, a willingness to learn and a belief that every child, in every neighborhood, deserves the opportunity to thrive.
The Fellowship helps participants understand how decisions about public education are made and how strong leadership can improve opportunities for students.
Participants learn about school governance, student outcomes, budgets, accountability and community leadership through real examples, practical exercises, and conversations with experienced leaders.
The goal is to build the knowledge and judgment people need before deciding where and how they want to lead. PELC does not provide campaign training or endorse participants.
The decisions made by school boards shape what is possible for students across Houston. Strong boards keep school systems focused on what students need to succeed, use public resources responsibly and make difficult decisions with students’ long-term futures in mind.
Good Reason Houston believes people should have the opportunity to understand this work before they are asked to lead it. HPEF builds a bench of prepared leaders now, creating a network that can keep learning from one another and supporting Houston’s public schools for years to come.
Program Details
The Fellowship uses a hybrid format that combines virtual sessions with select in-person experiences in Houston, making the program accessible to working professionals while preserving opportunities for relationship-building, hands-on learning and engagement with local education and civic leaders. Participants complete a structured series of learning sessions, leadership assessments and practical governance exercises throughout the program.