The Rochester City School District (hereinafter “RCSD” or “District”) is seeking Proposals to partner with Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) to implement and operate an effective innovative urban teacher residency program. Offering a teacher residency program requires careful collaboration and planning, as well as proven impact. The purpose of the teacher residency program is to accelerate a pathway to becoming a full-time teacher in RCSD through alternate pathways to certification in high needs areas including: bilingual education, bilingual special education, career and technical education, special education (secondary), mathematics, science.
The ROC Urban Teacher Residency program will offer a full-year of paid experience for teacher residents as they complete course requirements and work alongside experienced mentor teachers. Teacher residents will have the opportunity to put pedagogy and theory into practice, while completing program requirements toward certification in a clinically rich structured immersion experience.
Priority points will be awarded for programs that demonstrate a history of effectiveness, a focus on urban education, multiple pathways to certification, recruitment capacity beyond the local area, prioritizing grow your own strategies, and proven success in addressing high needs teaching areas. Additionally, value added consideration of institutional contributions to program sustainability and partnership beyond the grant period will take priority.
This RFI will provide grant awards of up to $10,000 per teacher candidate in the proposed residency program. Eligible grant applicants must currently operate an approved teacher residency pathway or an approved teacher preparation program with pathways to NYS Teacher Certification / Professional Licensure.
Resident Teacher Fellows who are sponsored by this grant will be required to agree in writing to serve as an RCSD employee in a high need area for a period of at least two additional years, beginning with the school year that begins after the candidate’s successful completion of the initial residency and obtainment of the initial teacher certification. A candidate who fails to earn certification or fails to complete the period of placement shall reimburse the district the proportionate amount of funding (100% if no completion, 50% if under one year, and 25% if under two years).
