EdTrust Tennessee - Government Affairs Intern

EdTrust Tennessee (EdTrust-TN) seeks an Government Affairs Intern to join the organization’s Advocacy & Engagement team. The Intern will join a staff committed to fulfilling our mission of closing opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

The intern will have the exciting opportunity to help EdTrust-TN track relevant legislative policy developments at the Tennessee General Assembly during the 2026 legislative session around equity in Pre-K through postsecondary education. The Intern will help synthesize key takeaways gathered from statehouse activity as education-related bills move through the legislative process, with the ultimate goal of achieving comprehensive coverage of relevant committee and subcommittee actions. The Intern will learn more about the state legislative process, government relations, and public policy advocacy, and they will build an in-depth understanding of elected and appointed officials and other key stakeholders in Tennessee’s education policy ecosystem. This knowledge will support the personal and professional development of the intern and contribute to the team’s capacity to proactively respond to fast-moving legislative circumstances.

EdTrust is comprised of fierce advocates for the high academic achievement of all students — Pre-kindergarten through college, particularly those of color or living in poverty. Through research and advocacy, EdTrust’s goal is to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement that affect young people across our state — especially students of color and those from low-income families. We work alongside educators, policymakers, parents, and community and business leaders across Tennessee to advocate transforming schools and colleges into institutions that serve all students well. Lessons learned in these efforts, together with unflinching data analyses, help shape our policy agendas.

This role is based in our Tennessee office and will be largely telework, requiring in-person attendance at least 2 days per week. The intern must report to the EdTrust Tennessee office within three (3) days of hire for employment verification. The intern reports to the Senior Manager, Government Relations. This role is budgeted for up to 20 hours per week for 12 weeks, concluding in May 2026. Exact hours are negotiable. The start date for this position is January 5th, 2026.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The responsibilities and objectives for the role may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Analyze bill introductions, debates, and amendments in relevant legislative committees and on the House and Senate floor
• Capture vote counts and bill outcomes related to EdTrust policy agenda priorities across the legislative process
• Support bill and committee activity summaries for our weekly legislative newsletter and other EdTrust-TN communications, resources, and events
• Stay current and knowledgeable on organizational priorities and recent research from EdTrust and our partners
• Attend legislative events and committee hearings as needed
• Support internal and external bill tracking systems
• Serve is in-house expert on bill status and updates

IDEAL SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS

• A shared belief in EdTrust’s mission and a commitment to improving educational equity, with a focus on racial equity
• Strong communication skills, with a focus on writing and concise summaries
• Willingness to receive and act upon constructive feedback
• Ability to organize, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines  
• Attention to detail and ability to multitask  
• Ability to take initiative and be self-directed

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and experience:

• At least a high school diploma or GED, and enrolled in a higher education degree program
• Experience using MS Office software such as Word, Excel, and Outlook
• General knowledge of the legislative process and education policy
• Previous public policy experience preferred, including, but not limited to, previous internships in state or local government; or with other advocacy or education policy organizations  

COMPENSATION

The pay for this role ranges from $19/hr for undergraduate students and recent grads to $21-24/hr for graduate students and $25-30 for doctoral students. In order to maintain equity within our intern payscale, we do not negotiate on intern pay rates; pay rates for internships are primarily determined based on level of education. Sick leave is accrued in this role.  

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