The Texas Agency (TEA) is raising the bar to promote high-quality training experiences for all of Texas’ pre-service teachers. Data shows that students of color and students who are economically disadvantaged are most likely to be taught by by ill-prepared novice teachers. 

To address this challenge, the TEA has set an ambitious vision to promote residency as a primary pathway to prepare teachers.

The TEA has established timebound, measurable goals to accomplish this vision: 

• By 2035, 60% of teacher candidates will be certified in high-quality sustainable residencies. 

• The percentage of teachers of color prepared through high-quality sustainable residencies  will be at least equal to the Texas students of color population.

• Candidates who successfully complete a high-quality sustainable residency perform at the same level (or better) than average 2nd year teachers in 2028

• The percent of teachers prepared through a high-quality sustainable residency will be retained in their district after 5 years and will increase year over year. 

To accomplish the vision and goals, the TEA has developed a strategic plan leveraging ESSER funds called the Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Supports (TCLAS). TCLAS includes 10 decisions that districts could opt into to support student learning in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Decision 5 of TCLAS focuses on supporting districts to build a robust and sustainable teacher pipeline that includes teacher recruitment efforts and residency program support. Below are the steps TEA developed to get this work started:

Step 1: The TEA solicited applications from educator preparation programs to become Vetted Teacher Residencies  

Step 2: Districts who partner with Vetted Teacher Residencies could apply for funding over three years that would support residents with stipends as well as provide additional funding for other residency roles such as mentor teachers and site coordinators. As part of the application, districts commit to engaging in strategic staffing design with their local education service center. 

Step 3: In year two of TCLAS, EPPs and district partners will work with their education service center to develop strategic staffing models that allow residents to fulfill instructional needs during their residency. In turn for fulfilling these roles, districts reallocate funding to pay the residents a stipend. The design process results in building the district and educator preparation program's capacity to continue this work after the grant period, including the reallocation of underutilized funds to sustain the resident stipends. To learn more, read the UTEP and Socorro ISD case study. 

US PREP’s Role

US PREP is playing three major roles to promote and support the TEA’s vision. 

Role 1: Scale Residencies Across the State: The first role is one that US PREP has had for almost 6 years, working alongside Texas EPPs to pilot and scale year-long residencies for all of their candidates.  

Role 2: Provide Strategic Staffing Support to Districts and EPPs: US PREP is working alongside their coalition EPPs and over 20 districts to facilitate the design and implementation of strategic staffing. 

Role 3: Train the Education Service Centers in Strategic Staffing: US PREP is working with 16 Education Service Center Fellows to train them in strategic staffing. In the fall of 2022, the Fellows will be working with 86 school districts.  3,144 candidates over the life of the TCLAS grant.