TEACHER SEMINARS: Great content, collaborative colleagues, a powerful place.

Each Montpelier Seminar for Educators provides a deep dive into an aspect of Constitutional government in a small cohort learning environment of approximately 27-30 Educators/Seminar. Participants are primarily middle and high school teachers who want to engage with scholars and experts in a combination of lectures and discussions to learn about how our civic system was created, has changed, and prospects for the future “to form a more perfect Union.”

Specific seminar topics vary. Registration begins about 3-5 months prior to the event. Seminars generally start Thursdays about 3:30-4pm (check-in 1:30-3pm) and conclude at Noon on Saturdays.

2025 Seminars (Thursday-Saturday):

• March 6-8:  “The Constitutional Convention” with Dr. Dennis Rasmussen.  Seminar completed.  
• April 3-5:  “The 4th, 5th, & 6th Amendments:  A Seminar on Criminal Procedure for HS & MS Educators” with Professor and Practitioner Kendra Johnson.  Seminar completed.
• July 24-26:  “Article I: The U.S. Congress” with Dr. Lauren Bell. More information and application HERE.  Acceptances will start being sent by early May.  SC, NC, VA, NY, & KY Educators have the most scholarship funds available. 
• October 2-4:  “Madison in Power: 1801-1817” (SecState & Pres.), with Dr. Jay Cost.  More information and application HERE. 

For questions not answered here, contact Caitlin Lawrence at clawrence@montpelier.org.

What’s Included?

• Accommodations and Meals: Participations will be housed on the grounds of James Madison’s Montpelier a few minutes walk from the classroom, dining room, and Madison’s historic home. 6 meals are provided onsite.
• Resources: Each participant will receive an electronic selection of primary and secondary source readings based on the Seminar’s topic via Google Drive or pdf.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can participate?  Montpelier Seminars are open to full-time teachers at accredited public, charter, private, or parochial schools. The primary audience is High School and Middle School teachers.

How much does a seminar cost?

Applying is free. The only cost for accepted applicants is an $85 non-refundable registration fee to be paid within 2-3 weeks of acceptance in order to confirm their place in a Seminar for Educators. Thanks to the generosity of private donors, scholarships cover the cost of accommodations, meals, materials, scholar honoraria, etc. For teachers not funded by a Montpelier scholarship, the cost is $1,100 and there is no travel reimbursement.) Additionally, a limited travel reimbursement is provided at different tiers*:

A) a maximum of $300 for Educators from VA, MD, DC and states not listed below.
B) a maximum of $575 for Educators from NC.
C) a maximum of $675 for Educators from NY, KY, SC, & FL (due to specific scholarships for those 4 states).

Note:  If a scholarship is not awarded, the cost for a Teacher to attend is $1,100 and there is no travel reimbursement.