Aiming to ease a critical teacher shortage, UC Riverside has launched a new residency program in partnership with the San Bernardino City Unified School District that fully covers tuition, provides living stipends and guarantees job placement for aspiring teachers.
The one-year credentialing program, which began recruiting this spring, is open to candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree.
Participants will receive approximately $32,000 in financial support, including a living stipend and funds allocated to mentor teachers, and will be placed in classrooms across the district for hands-on training, UC Riverside said in a news release.
“Across California and the nation, we are facing a shortage of qualified teachers, especially in critical areas like special education, dual-language instruction, math, and science,” said Frances Valdovinos, assistant dean and director of teacher education at UC Riverside’s School of Education. “This partnership gives future teachers an unprecedented level of support while helping San Bernardino schools meet urgent staffing needs.”
In return, residents commit to teaching in the district after completing the program.
With roughly 190 retirements and resignations expected this year alone, the district says it is turning to long-term solutions to ensure classrooms remain staffed.
“We need a pipeline of talented, dedicated teachers who understand our community and are ready to serve it,” said Robert Morales, SBCUSD director of human resources. “This residency is a game-changer.”
For more information about the program, click here.
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