Teacher residencies offer promising alternatives to traditional educator preparation programs. Research points to three primary benefits: higher retention of teachers in the field, greater demographic diversity among teachers prepared through residency programs, and the potential to increase student achievement. At a time when enrollment in educator preparation programs is trending downward while teacher turnover is trending upward, programs and policies that mitigate attrition and support the rapid and ongoing development of highly qualified PK-12 educators merit serious consideration.
This brief describes the characteristics of teacher residencies, how they differ from traditional educator preparation programs, what research tells us about residencies, and suggestions for a path forward.
Teacher Residencies Released 2020
