BACKGROUND

• Currently about 50% of all urban public school teachers nationwide leave the teaching profession in less than five years – not because they do not want to teach, but because they do not feel equipped for the complex challenges of urban schools or do not receive sufficient support as new teachers.
• The LAUTR Program differs from traditional teacher preparation programs by providing resident teachers the opportunity to directly apply theory, research, and pedagogy learned through coursework during an intensive residency year.
• Data from other residency programs indicate that 85% of residency graduates stay in the teaching profession, and in urban, high-need schools, this reduces the high teacher turnover rates that cost districts millions of dollars and leave students without high quality teachers.
• The LAUTR Program targets areas of chronic teacher shortage: mathematics and science.

PROGRAM DESIGN
With a social justice framework, the LAUTR Program focuses on equity, excellence and community engagement. The program includes an initial intensive summer institute, followed by a 9-month residency placement in an urban school with a mentor teacher and weekly classes, and a final intensive summer institute in which residents complete coursework and a masters degree. The program is designed to provide teachers the knowledge, skills and disposition they need to make an impact in urban schools.

RESIDENTS AND MENTORS

• Through a highly selective recruitment process, the LAUTR Program seeks a diverse group of talented college graduates, career changers, and community members with appropriate undergraduate preparation to become math or science teachers. The program emphasizes rigorous candidate selection and a commitment to recruit from diverse populations.
• Placement schools and mentor teachers also undergo a rigorous selection process. The LAUTR Program selects school sites that demonstrate strong leadership and commitment to academic excellence for underserved student populations. Mentor teachers are carefully selected to align with program goals.
• Residents are paired one-on-one with Residents for an entire school year. The expert mentors offer Residents a model for success in the urban classroom.  Mentors receive ongoing support from the LAUTR staff to ensure that the provision of sufficient time, resources, and coaching skills are in place to implement an effective classroom apprenticeship.”

Pre-Residency Summer Institute

Residents visit their assigned mentor teachers’ classrooms and residents and mentors attend several hours of orientation together. Residents then participate in a six-week intensive summer program to learn basic theory, research, and instructional practices. Residents also learn how to engage in the urban community with support from community partners.

The Residency Year

Residents and mentors co-teach four days per week for an entire school year in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), with residents taking gradual control of instruction and classroom management. Residents enroll in university courses one night and one full day per week throughout the year. LAUTR staff members provide instructional coaching and support to connect coursework and classroom experience.

• LAUTR offers a unique synthesis of theory, research, and practical hands-on experience, combining a yearlong classroom apprenticeship with a carefully aligned sequence of master’s-level coursework.
• Residents receive a $16,000 living stipend throughout their residency year.
• Residents earn a Preliminary Teaching Credential and a Master’s degree in Education.
• Residents learn as part of a cohort — a peer group that provides ongoing support and collaborative learning throughout the Residency year and beyond.
• Community partners support the social justice perspective by assisting in teaching courses and leading community-based experiences focused on advocacy, equity and family support.
• Residents spend the full academic year in an urban public school, developing under the guidance of an experienced mentor teacher. Over the course of the year, Residents gradually assume teaching responsibility with support of their mentor teachers.
• In addition to hands-on work in the classroom, Residents engage in master’s-level education coursework aligned with the California Standards for the Teaching Profession and Teaching Performance Expectations.

Post-Residency

• Residency graduates commit to teaching in LAUSD for at least three years after the completion of their apprenticeship. If they fail to do so, they are obligated to pay back all or part of the living stipend.
• LAUSD provides support for job placement in the district.
• Resident graduates participate in an exemplary induction program — an online forum and one-on-one consultation for their first two years of solo teaching. They remain in contact with their cohort peers and mentor teachers to form a seamless network of support.