Watch a sneak peek from our first School Leader Academy Bootcamp:
What is the iTeach School Leader Academy?
​​iTeach School Leader Academy (SLA) is an intensive part-time School Leadership Development Program, designed to fast-track the journey of mission-driven leaders into school leadership roles. This program equips participants with the skills, mindsets, and practical experience needed to serve as transformative School Leaders in low-income, under-resourced communities— immediately upon graduation or within two years of graduating from the program.​​​​​
HIGHLIGHTS FROM COHORT 1
The initial results from our pilot with cohort 1 of the SL Academy have been very encouraging, giving us confidence to open up the Academy opportunity to twenty leaders in Cohort 2!
How did Cohort 1 feel about their SLA experience?
Program Quality: Average Leader Ratings on the Four Core Components of the SL Academy Experience
Program Engagement: 94% (17/18 leaders) completed the program successfully.
Overall, the Academy received a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 71 from participants, benchmarked as ‘top-tier’ globally amongst Educator leadership programs.
Where are our Cohort 1 Leaders today?
Our graduating School Leaders are serving as Assistant School Leaders or School Leaders across five states and varied mission-driven organizations:
Hear from our Cohort 1 Leaders:
Priyanshi Meena​
School Leader, Aagamya Foundation
Gargi Mishra
School Leader, iTeach Schools
Ritesh Kataria
Lead Teacher, iTeach Schools
Facilitator's Spotlight:
Our Vision: SL 100
A Community by and for School Leaders!
Building on the pilot’s success, we’re growing a collective of 100 mission-driven School Leaders by 2030.
SL 100 = 20 leaders per cohort × 5 strong cohorts.
SL100 will be a vibrant community of School Leaders leading India’s highest-need schools — shadowing and learning from each other, swapping critical ideas and resources, venting when needed… but always keeping the gumption to run schools alive.
They’ll have each other’s backs through one of the most demanding, high-leverage (and fun!) career journeys in the education space.
APPLICATION DETAILS
Who is the iTeach School Leader Academy for? What are the eligibility criteria?
What happens when? How long does the programme last? When do applications open?
The SL Academy combines cohort-based virtual learning, hands-on performance tasks, and immersive in-person experiences to equip participants with the most essential knowledge, skills, and mindsets needed to become high-impact school leaders in under-resourced communities.
What are the key focus areas of this program?
What does leading a Summer School in May look like?
​The Summer School is the heart of the SL Academy experience. Over four weeks, you will co-lead a school in Pune with a peer, leading approximately 100 students and six teachers. This immersive experience allows you to apply and refine competencies from the program’s five focus areas, with live feedback from an expert School Coach to prepare you for your role as a School Leader.
What career paths open up to me immediately upon graduation?
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Join as a School Leader in the Upcoming Academic Year (2026-27):
Starting in June 2026, step into the School Leader role at a school network/organization committed to equity-focused leadership. For example: iTeach Schools, Akanksha, The Circle supported Schools, Teach for India supported Schools (TrustED).
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Join as a School Leader Within 2 Years of Graduating:
If you need more time in your current role to prepare for the transition, you can still join the Academy to significantly enhance your skills and effectiveness. Leverage the program to get more proficient in your current role while preparing to step up into school leadership within the next two years.
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What does the selection process look like? How can I apply?
How much does this program cost? What are my options for funding?
Program Enrollment Fee
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The program fee is highly subsidized at INR 25,000, with the bulk of costs covered by our donor partners.
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This fee can be paid by your employer school network / organization as part of their investment in your training or can be paid out-of-pocket by participants.
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Residential Bootcamp Costs and Summer School Costs
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All accommodation and food expenses for the 3-day in-person boot-camp in Pune, are included in the enrollment fee. Participants must arrange their own travel to and from Pune and within Pune.
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For the Summer School practicum in Pune (three weeks in May), accommodation and food expenses will be covered for participants traveling from other locations. Participants must arrange their own travel to and from Pune and within Pune.
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​We are committed to ensuring this program is accessible to all eligible participants, regardless of financial constraints. If you have any questions about the enrollment fee or need assistance, please contact us at tanvi.metre@iteachschools.org to discuss scholarship opportunities.