South Carolina Charter Founders Fellowship

Founders Track Application: For leaders who have applied for and received their charter and are preparing to open a school in South Carolina.

Thank you for your interest in the South Carolina Charter Founders Fellowship. This application is designed to help us get to know you beyond your charter including your experience, your leadership, and what has shaped your commitment to building an excellent school in South Carolina. We simply want to understand who you are, what you have done, and why you are the right person to lead this important work for children.

Applicants who move forward can expect to hear about next steps by mid-July. The Fellowship is slated to begin at the end of August.

Application Deadline: July 1, 2026, by 11:59 PM Questions? Email bgibson@themindtrust.org

Section 1: Candidate & School Information

First & Last Name

Email Address

Cell Phone Number

City & State

Race/ethnicity (optional)

Current Job Title

School Name

Proposed School Location

Proposed Grades

First Year Enrollment

Identified School Leader?

SECTION 2: Spark Hire Video Interview (3 Questions)

We know recording yourself on video is awkward; don't worry about being perfect. Just be yourself – the purpose of this part of the application is for us to start to get to know you. These questions are designed to surface your actual experience. We are looking for specific examples grounded in your real work rather than hypotheticals. You will have one minute per video response. You can re-record as many times as you need.

Please click the link below to complete the Spark Hire Video Interview.

https://hire.li/Jmt9paQ4lmHUg45J84aSe

2A. Fast forward to an October day after your school has launched. Describe a specific math or ELA lesson that reflects your school's instructional model in action. What is the learning objective for the lesson, how is the teacher meeting it for all students, and what moves did you make as a leader to ensure that teacher could deliver that lesson with excellence?

2B. The path to founding a school is rarely a straight line. Describe the hardest moment you have faced in your charter development journey thus far or in the work that brought you to it. What have you learned about yourself in the process?

2C. Describe the management infrastructure you have already built or are building. How do you set expectations for adults, track progress toward goals, and address underperformance?

SECTION 3: Written Responses (3 Questions, 300 word limit for each)
Your charter application describes your model. These questions are meant to gain deeper insight into how you lead. Please draw on specific evidence from your past experience.

3A. Describe the strongest student achievement results that you were responsible for and what leadership moves you made to generate them?

3B. Describe the most significant thing you have built through your leadership. What did it take to get it off the ground, what obstacles did you have to push through, and what did you learn about yourself in the process?

3C. Describe the most important relationships you have built in service of your school, whether families and community members in your school’s neighborhood or civic, state, or national leaders whose support could matter. Be specific about who you have connected with and what those relationships make possible

SECTION 4: Uploaded Materials (All Required)

4A. Updated Resume

4B. Charter Application

4C. Student Growth & Achievement Data: Submit data from the last 3 years for students you were directly responsible for. Other relevant data artifacts may be included.

By selecting "Yes" below, I confirm that I understand my application is not considered complete until my written application responses, my SparkHire video interview, and all required uploaded materials have been submitted by July 1, 2026. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Contact Information