Program Components and Eligibility

We are pleased that you are considering the Michigan Education Policy Leadership Program (EPLP; formerly Michigan EPFP), facilitated by the Office of K-12 Outreach in Michigan State University's College of Education. This year marks the 52nd anniversary of the program!

This ten-month professional development program is designed for individuals whose work record reflects strong leadership abilities and a concern for improving the life chances of children and youth. Program participants hold full-time positions in diverse local, state, and national organizations. Fellows are supported by their employing agencies.

For a preliminary 2026-27 program schedule, please review this document.

The Program

Fellows remain in their full-time positions and use their work environment as the context for examining important leadership and policy issues in Michigan and across the nation. EPLP activities are directed by on-site co-coordinators.

The 2026-27 Michigan EPLP experience will be primarily in-person (with two virtual sessions in January 2027). The program will bring Fellows and ideas together through a variety of on-site learning opportunities (such as plenary seminars, skill development workshops, a Day at the Michigan Capitol, a Learning Team presentation with a small group of EPLP peers, and an individual policy poster project), through electronic networking and information sharing, and through participation in two national conferences during the year that unite EPF/EPLP participants from across the country.

The first of the conferences, held in October 2026, is the Regional Leadership Forum in Carlisle, Pennsylvania (See the October 2025 In Focus newsletter). This forum heightens Fellows' understanding of leadership challenges and themselves as leaders. It also allows Fellows to take leadership lessons from the Battle of Gettysburg and the U.S. Army War College. The second conference, held in March 2027, is a DC-based field experience (See the March 2026 In Focus newsletter). This gathering increases Fellows' knowledge of national policy issues and processes and gives them a chance to identify the impact of national decisions on their work.

Participation in EPLP yields impactful results. The program’s complementary working/learning, state/national, and in-person/virtual activities provide Fellows with a unique personal development laboratory for applying new insights and practicing new skills. Fellows are given many opportunities to:

1. develop a broadened understanding of the policy process,
2. hone their communication and decision-making skills,
3. refine their potential for leadership, and
4. expand their network of professional colleagues.

As a result, employing agencies are rewarded with better-informed and more skillful employees.

Additionally, pending approval, State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs) will be offered at no cost to program participants. Finally, for a small, additional fee, Fellows are able to simultaneously enroll in the Office of K-12 Outreach's Policy Leadership Micro-Credential, supported by MILearner Wallet. While this program element is optional, it is designed to help Fellows track their Michigan EPLP participation, achievement, and transformation while credibly signaling the program's significance to current and prospective employers.

Program Fees and Employer Sponsorship

Each person’s employing agency, the sponsor, pays the base program fee of $2,950, travel costs, and any special site-specific programming fees. In addition, the employer provides release time for on-site and national activities. An invoice for program fees will be sent early in the program year.

Eligibility and Selection Process

We invite your application if you have:

• a commitment to personal and professional development on behalf of children and youth,
• a track record for making things happen – inside and across agencies/organizations,
• substantive work experience,
• a full-time professional position, and
• the endorsement and financial support of your employing organization.

Please consider the time and effort demands of the EPLP experience in light of your current professional and personal schedule. If you cannot participate fully in the Michigan EPLP year (including the two national conferences), you should wait to apply until you can do so.

Selection and Site Schedules

The final selection of Fellows is made jointly by the EPLP co-coordinators and representatives of their employing agencies.

Please contact the Michigan EPLP co-coordinators to obtain site-specific programming and scheduling information. Additionally, program details will be posted on the Michigan EPLP website.

Application Instructions

Recruiting for the 2026-27 cohort begins now, apply to the program by filling out this form.