To strengthen secondary school teaching of the
principles, framing, and development of the U.S. Constitution; to contribute
to a deeper understanding of American government and to foster in both
teachers and students the spirit of civic participation that inspired the
Nation's founders.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Direct Payments for Specified Use. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
For future and current secondary school teachers of American history, American
government, or social studies of grades seven through twelve.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: College seniors and college
graduates without teaching experience (Junior Fellow) and experienced
secondary school teachers of grades seven through twelve (Senior Fellows) may
apply.
Beneficiary Eligibility: U.S. Citizens or U.S.
Nationals will benefit.
Credentials/Documentation: A Senior Fellow must
be a full-time teacher of American history, American government, or social
studies in grades seven through twelve and be under contract or prospective
contract to teach full time as a secondary school teacher of the same
subjects. A Junior Fellow must possess a bachelor's degree or plan to receive
a bachelor's degree no later than August 31 of the year in which he or she is
applying. An applicant must have a demonstrated record of commitment to civic
responsibilities and to professional and collegial activities; qualify for
admission with graduate standing at an accredited university that offers a
qualifying Master's degree program (a Master of Arts in history or political
science, a Master of Arts in teaching, in history, or in social studies, a
related Master's degree in education that permits a concentration in history,
government, social studies or political science) which allows at least twelve
semester hours or their equivalent of study of the origins, principles, and
development of the U.S. Constitution and its comparison with the histories of
other forms of government (six of these required twelve semester hours of
constitutional study may be earned at the Foundation's required four-week
Summer Institute on the Constitution); and be committed to teaching American
history, American government, or social studies full time in grades seven
through twelve after the receipt of a Master's degree for a period of not less
than one year for each full academic year of study for which assistance is
received under a fellowship, preferably in the State of the Fellow's legal
residence at the time of the fellowship award.
Pre-application Coordination: Application materials
may be requested by individuals who meet the eligibility requirements stated
above. Completed applications must be received by March 1. This program is
excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure: Individuals wishing to
apply for fellowships must request application materials from the Foundation.
Applications must include: (a) Supporting information which affirms an
applicant's wish to be considered for a fellowship; information about the
applicant's background, interests, goals, academic record, and an explanation
of the applicant's educational plans and how those plans will lead to or
enhance a career as a teacher; (b) an essay of up to 600 words that explains
the importance of study of the Constitution: 1) To young students; 2) to the
applicant's career aspirations and his or her contribution to public service;
and 3) to citizenship generally in a constitutional republic; (c) the
applicant's proposed course of graduate study including the specific degree
sought and the courses to be taken that leads to a Master's degree; and (d)
three evaluations that attest to the applicant's academic achievements and
intellectual strengths and to his or her potential or proven ability as a
secondary school teacher.
Award Procedure: An independent Fellow Selection
Committee will evaluate all valid applications and recommend the most
outstanding applicant or applicants from each State for James Madison
Fellowships. Applicants compete only against other applicants from the State
of their legal residence. Applicants are evaluated on their: (a) Demonstrated
commitment to a career in teaching American history, American government, or
social studies at the secondary level; (b) demonstrated intent to pursue a
program of graduate study that emphasizes the Constitution and offers
classroom instruction in that subject; (c) demonstrated devotion to civic
responsibility: (d) demonstrated capacity for graduate study, as well as
proven potential performance as classroom teachers (for Junior Fellowship
applicants) or proven outstanding performance as classroom teachers (for
Senior Fellowship applicants); and (e) proposed courses of graduate study,
especially the nature and extent of their subject content components and their
relationship to the enhancement of the applicants' teaching and professional
activity. In this regard, a content degree such as one in history or political
science may enhance an application versus a MED or a MAT. Candidates
recommended for fellowships by the Fellow Selection Committee will be named
James Madison Fellows. The selection procedure will ensure that at least one
James Madison Fellow (junior or senior) is selected from each State in which
there are at least two resident applicants who meet the minimum criteria of
eligibility and are judged to merit an award.
Deadlines: February 15, each year for request of
application materials; March 1, each year for receipt of applications for the
James Madison Fellowship competition.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: April, each
year the Fellow Selection Committee meets to recommend to the Foundation the
appointment of Fellows; April, each year the James Madison Fellows are named
by the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation (applicants are notified
of selection results); May, each year the names of new James Madison Fellows
are publicly announced.
Appeals: None.
Renewals: Top contenders and applicants who were
not awarded a fellowship are encouraged to submit a fresh application for the
current year's competition. Top contenders may elect to sign a Resubmission
Agreement authorizing their original application to be placed before the
current year's Fellow Selection Committee for consideration for a fellowship
award. A Fellowship Application Update Form is also provided if an applicant
chooses to include such information.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements: Not applicable.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: It is the
intent of the Foundation to renew Junior Fellowships annually for a period not
to exceed 2 calendar years and to renew Senior Fellowships annually for a
period not to exceed five calendar years, or until a Fellow has completed the
minimum number of credits required for the Master's degree, whichever comes
first. Renewal will be in accordance with regulations established by the
Foundation, subject to an annual review and certification by authorized
officials of the university at which a Fellow is registered that the Fellow
(if a Junior Fellow) is not engaged in gainful employment that interferes with
the Fellow's studies and that the Fellow is making satisfactory progress
toward the degree and is in good academic standing. In some cases, Junior
Fellows may be permitted to study part-time and Senior Fellows to study
full-time. The Foundation may suspend or terminate a fellowship when it
obtains evidence that a Fellow is not making satisfactory progress toward the
degree or is not in compliance with fellowship requirements.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Each Fellow must complete the graduate
degree study for which fellowship payments have been advanced and provide
evidence of the receipt of a qualifying Master's degree within the amount of
time indicated above. This study must included participation in an annual
Summer Institute on the Constitution. After receiving the Master's degree,
each Fellow must teach American history, American government, or social
studies in grades seven through twelve for no less than 1 year for each full
academic year of study under a fellowship. A Professional Teaching Obligation
form is required for annual verification of professional status as a secondary
level school teacher.
Audits: Not applicable.
Records: Not applicable.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification: 95-8282-0-7-502.
Obligations: (Fellowships) FY 01 $963,000; FY 02
est $996,000; and FY 03 est $1,030,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance:
Payments are made only for the actual costs of tuition, required fees, books,
shared room, and board for the pursuit of qualifying degrees. The maximum
amount of each award is $24,000, pro-rated over the period of study. In no
case shall the award exceed $12,000 for one academic year of study. Normally,
Fellows receive less than these maximum amounts. Payments are made only for
the minimum number of credits required for the award of the degree for which a
Fellow is registered and for no more.
Since 1992, the year of the Madison Foundation's inaugural national
competition, more than 494 Fellowship Awards have been made to prospective and
existing secondary school teachers. There are currently 212 active Junior
Fellows (prospective teachers) and 284 active Senior Fellows (existing
teachers) from the six classes of Fellows. Graduate degrees in history,
political science, and education have been awarded to 207 Fellows thus far and
116 Fellows have also completed the teaching requirement phase of their
Fellowships.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
45 CFR 2400.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office: None.
Headquarters Office: James Madison Memorial
Fellowship Foundation. Contact: Mr. Steve Weiss, Director of Administration
and Finance, 2000 K Street, NW., Suite 303, Washington, DC 20006. Telephone:
202-653-8700. FAX (202) 653-6045. (E-mail) sweiss@jamesmadison.com.
