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Teacher Residency Programs

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The University of California, Santa Cruz MA/Credential program has partnered with three districts in our region, Santa Cruz City Schools, Pajaro Valley Unified School District, and Salinas Union High School District, in order to offer teacher residency grants for up to twelve incoming students for the 2025-2026 year. 

What is a Teacher Residency? 

Selected teacher residents are hired by the respective district for the year they are in the MA/Credential program. They co-teach in the residency classroom from the first day of school to the last, with increasing time commitments and responsibilities as the year progresses. 

Santa Cruz City Schools (SCCS) was awarded a grant for four Resident Teachers for the 2025-26 school year, with Resident Teachers to receive a stipend of $34,500 for the year of residency. The focus for SCCS is on single-subject mathematics and science applicants with a preference for applicants who have connections to the district/region and who are bilingual in Spanish. 

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) was awarded a grant for three Resident Teachers for the 2025-26 school year, with Resident Teachers to receive a stipend of $34,500 for the year of residency. The focus for PVUSD is on single-subject applicants with a preference for applicants who have connections to the district/region and who are bilingual in Spanish. 

The Salinas Union High School District (SUHSD) was awarded a grant for five Resident Teachers for the 2025-26 school year, with Resident Teachers to receive a stipend of $40,000 for the year of residency. The focus for SUHSD is on single-subject mathematics and science applicants with a preference for applicants who have connections to the district/region and who are bilingual in Spanish. 

Applications for these residencies will be available in January 2025, and notification of awards is anticipated for March 2025. 

Additional information on teacher residency programs from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing 
(https://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/roadmap-to-teaching/becoming-a-teacher-in-california/pathways-to-credentialing/resident-teacher-credentialing-program, edited to reflect local circumstances):
 
Inspired by the medical school approach to training doctors, in a teacher residency program you will teach alongside an experienced mentor teacher for at least one full school year while completing your coursework to earn your preliminary credential. Think of it like a guided clinical practice: you receive supervision from your program and get to learn from a veteran in the field in real time. The guiding philosophy of a teacher residency program is that aspiring teachers will be best prepared if they learn under expert mentorship in classrooms like the ones they will be teaching.
 
What Makes Residency Programs Unique
Are you looking for extended guided practice before having your own classroom?
  • Compared to other program models, you'll get more clinical practice under the guidance of a mentor before assuming full-time, solo teaching responsibilities as the teacher of record in your own classroom. Having a full year of experience helps to ease the learning curve of teaching.
Do you prefer to be part of a group experience?
  • You will have a cohort of other teacher residents alongside you, supporting and valuing each other as you experience residency together.
Are you looking for a program where you can also earn your master’s degree?
  • Our residency programs includes the requirement and opportunity to earn your master’s degree.
Are you a career changer?
  • Residency programs offer opportunities for a wide variety of candidates from different backgrounds, including those who may initially not have considered teaching as a career.
Do you need financial support to complete your teacher preparation program?
  • Teaching residents receive a salary or stipend and at the end of the year, a preliminary credential. They may also be eligible for additional financial support through the FAFSA process and a range of student loan forgiveness programs. 
Things to Keep in Mind
  • The application pool can be very competitive.
  • There is a service commitment to your residency employer of 4 years beyond the program.
  • If you do not earn your preliminary credential or complete the period of your placement, you will have to reimburse the amount of grant funding that was invested in your residency training.