Applications available for Mississippi Teacher Residency

JACKSON, MS (WDAM) - Applications for the new Mississippi Teacher Residency program are now available, and the Mississippi Department of Education invites aspiring teachers to apply now.

The MTR program is a two-year program that prepares 35 prospective educators for the teaching profession through coursework and on-the-job training, according to MDE. Applications are available from Friday through March 15, 2019.

People who want to become a teacher but are not enrolled in an education program at a university are encouraged to apply for the program. MDE requires applicants must have an associate degree or at least 60 college credits from a degree program.

The program is funded through a $4.1 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Applicants will complete a two-year undergraduate elementary education and special education program while working alongside a teacher mentor in one of four school districts, which include Jackson Public Schools, Sunflower County Consolidated School District, Gulfport School District and Ocean Springs School District. Residents will also receive housing allowance.

Those that complete the program and pass required licensure exams will receive a three-year educator license and must teach for three years in the district where they completed residency.

“The Mississippi Teacher Residency program will create a new pathway for educators to enter the profession and get the support they need to be successful,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “Innovative models such as teacher residency programs are needed to address the national and statewide teacher shortage.”