InSPIRED 2021-2022 Application

Fellows should plan to commit to 7-10 hours per month engaging in InSPIRED project work, meetings, and training . Please note these specific commitments:

  • September 28, 2021: InSPIRED Kickoff 5:30 - 7pm

  • October 12, 2021: InSPIRED Training 1 5:30 - 7pm

  • October 26, 2021: InSPIRED Training 2 5:30 - 7pm


All additional fellows meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of each month, from 5:30 - 7pm

    • November 9, 2021

    • December 14, 2021

    • January 11, 2022

    • February 8, 2022

    • March 8, 2022

    • April 12, 2022


Fellows will lead facilitation of the Statewide Affinity Network sessions in small group rotations. These sessions are held the second Thursday of each month from 5:30 - 7pm. Each group will facilitate two out of six total sessions. Sessions are as follows:

  • November 11, 2021

  • December 16, 2021

  • January 13, 2022

  • February 10, 2022

  • March 10, 2022

  • April 14, 2022

Be a Part of the Vision

All children should have the opportunity to see their ethnic and racial backgrounds represented in teachers and leaders who are celebrated and valued within their classrooms and schools. All educators, especially Black, Indigenous, and Educators of Color, will be valued, supported within, and celebrated by their schools and districts for their value and positive impact on PK-12 students.


To live out this vision, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), in partnership with TNTP, is now accepting applications for the fifth cohort of InSPIRED Fellows! This highly-selective opportunity is for current educators with close connections to their school communities and the ability to leverage their backgrounds and personal connections to communicate stories and calls to action to current and prospective educational leaders, helping them understand the impact of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and multiracial educators on PK-12 students.

This Fellowship is designed around four goals:

  1. Increase the racial diversity of the teaching workforce in Massachusetts by providing support resources and elevating interest in the profession

  2. Increase the retention rates of Black, Indigenous, and educators of color (BIPOC educators) committed to a diverse workforce by creating a network of like-minded, anti-racist educators and supporting districts to improve working conditions for BIPOC educators

  3. Build connections between Fellows to create a stronger sense of community and support via an affinity network, and equip Fellows with the knowledge and resources to lead affinity based support efforts in their respective school and district communities.

  4. Elevate the voices of Fellows so that the work done in districts, CIS and the Department better centers the lived experiences of BIPOC educators




The Cohort 2021-22 application is now closed! Please check back next fall to join cohort 22-23!

Who Should Become a Fellow?

We understand that the school year can be busy with competing priorities. We want to make sure that the InSPIRED Fellowship is able to meet its commitments to BIPOC educators during the school year, so we ask that applicants assess availability and only apply to the fellowship if you can meet these commitments. In return for their commitment, Fellows will receive a $2,000 stipend for successful participation and completion of projects as part of the Fellowship.


We are looking for Fellows who:

  • Are deeply committed to building antiracist, supportive schools for staff and students

  • Are able to meaningfully and consistently engage in the Fellowship

  • Demonstrate strong communication skills in a variety of contexts, including active listening, empathy, flexibility and attunement to others

  • Bring an intersectional lens to their work

  • Are willing and interested in engaging in professional learning opportunities specific to their project(s)


Preference will be given to educators in districts with the highest percentages of Black, Indigenous and students of color, such as Boston, Brockton, Chelsea, Everett, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Randolph, Revere, Springfield, and Worcester. We are specifically looking for educators who are closely connected to these targeted communities. These connections may exist for a variety of reasons, including: growing up in the district, being a fluent speaker of the predominant in-home language of many of the students in that community, or being a first-generation college student. DESE hopes to select a diverse cohort of Fellows who can leverage their own personal stories about entering and staying in the profession in order to support aspiring BIPOC educators and promote affirming, antiracist school and district environments.

Application Process - Read the instructions below carefully


There are two parts to the application. You must complete BOTH PARTS in order to successfully complete the application. Please read the following instructions.

  1. Online application form: Please find the application form embedded below. Be sure to complete all questions and submit.

  2. Application video: You will answer application questions via video. In order to complete your video, follow THESE INSTRUCTIONS.