Liberty Fellows: Professional Development Opportunity

TEACHERS, BECOME A LIBERTY FELLOW

Professional Development Opportunity for Educators in Grades 5-12

Teachers, a new professional development opportunity continues on September 17, 2026! New College of Florida is proud to announce a transformative project funded by the U.S. Department of Education for teachers in grades 5-12. Our grant, Invigorating Liberty and Self-Governance: First Principles for 21st Century America, honors the United States Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of America, and the Declaration of Independence. NCF’s program offers local teachers and students the opportunity to connect deeply with the ideas and principles that shaped our nation, and to cultivate habits of liberty and self-governance that will sustain our republic.

TEACHER STIPEND & ELIGIBILITY

$1,000 Stipend: Participating teachers are eligible for a $1,000 stipend.
Continuing Education Credit: An opportunity for participating teachers to earn hours toward professional education requirements.
Completion Requirement: To qualify for the stipend, participants must complete at least 80% of the scheduled program hours and a pre- and post-test.
Commitment: Teachers commit to one year of the program at a time.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

This three-year initiative includes:

Engage with Scholars & Peers: Build a professional network of up to 50 colleagues.
Digital Resources: Digital learning materials designed for use in your classroom.
Summer Experiences: Summer Institute experience offering immersive learning at New College.
Duration: 80 hours.

Program Dates. Click image for accessible pdf download.

In the second year, the Liberty Fellows cohort will examine how America’s founding principles adapted to the turbulent political, economic, and scientific shifts of the 19th and early 20th centuries. As the nation faced drastic domestic and international changes, these core ideals were tested in novel and significant ways.

The curriculum is designed to deepen understanding of the major dynamics that defined this era and fueled America’s rise to prominence, including: civil & political rights, geopolitical competition in the Americas, European migration, socio-cultural impact of new scientific discoveries, the impact of formal property rights, and industrialization.

The project is led by New College professors Casey Wheatland, David Ellis, and Richard Izquierdo.