Facing teacher shortage, UC Riverside launches new residency program

Teacher shortages are a constant problem throughout the United States. In the Inland Empire, the San Bernardino City Unified School District expects to lose about 190 teachers this year — largely due to retirements and resignations.

To address the shortage, the district has partnered with UC Riverside to create a one-year teacher residency program.

In exchange for a commitment to teach locally, teacher candidates get free tuition, along with a mentor and a $32,000 stipend. That money will be used to help cover the candidates’ living expenses and to provide payments for their mentor teachers.

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The program is paid for by a grant from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

What are challenges with the teacher pipeline?

Becoming a teacher can be strenuous and expensive, said Frances Valdovinos, assistant dean and director of teacher education at UC Riverside. “There are so many requirements,” she added, including 600 hours of student teaching.

The residency program seeks candidates who aim to teach in high-need areas, including math, science, special education and dual language immersion.

The district, which has 45,000 students, serves a diverse but predominantly Latino student body. It has 25 elementary schools with dual language immersion programs.

The program is open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree. But Marcus Funchess, assistant superintendent of the district’s human resources division, said the district aims to attract teachers who reflect the student body — especially if they have ties to the area.

“Our [young] scholars thrive when they have access to teachers who not only look like them, but share some of their same experiences, cultural backgrounds and values,” he said.

Funchess and Valdovinos also said that recruiting prospective educators who grew up or already work in the city is a means to boost retention.

Once student teachers complete the residency program, they’ll be expected to continue working for the district for four years.

“That's another critical part to ensuring that we're meeting the needs of our community,” Valdovinos said.

What can student teachers expect from the program?

Program leaders anticipate the first cohort will have 35 future teachers and begin this summer.

During the day, the student teachers will work alongside their mentors, sharing a classroom. After work, they’ll get a break, then head to UC Riverside for class in the evening.

Valdovinos said the residency program gradually gets student teachers ready to be on their own. Initially, they’ll be observing their mentor. Before the program is over, they’ll be expected to take the lead for at least four weeks.

Being at a school for an entire academic year is essential, Funchess and Valdovinos said. It enables student teachers to cultivate professional relationships with students, faculty and parents. It also gives them a chance to partake in community events and professional development opportunities — and to witness what it takes to generate a year’s worth of academic growth.

“Our goal is to ensure that teachers are prepared,” Valdovinos said.