Twelve (12) new awards were made in FY 2010.

California Grantee Abstract

The goal of this project is to address the critical shortage of qualified special education teachers prepared to serve learners in high-need schools. This will be accomplished by recruiting talented candidates from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, preparing them to serve learners with disabilities in high-need schools, and retaining them in high-need schools. This project will prepare 150 special education teachers over the five year grant. A feature of this project is that it provides a concentration in language and literacy so that the special education teacher candidates also will be able to address the needs of the large numbers of students in Los Angeles who are English language learners.

Colorado Grantee Abstract

The goal of this project is to specifically address Denver Public Schools' (DPS) low student achievement; low-income, linguistically and ethnically diverse student body needs; and significant teacher attrition. This will be accomplished by implementing and continuously refining an outcome based residency model to prepare and support highly effective teachers. This project will prepare 300 residents over the five year grant. A feature of this project is that it is a district-initiated project which gives DPS the ability to "grow its own" teachers, increasing the district’s ability to place candidates in the highest need schools and to create a model for other LEAs.

Illinois Grantee Abstracts

The goal of this project is to improve the quality and quantity of teachers in urban schools and consequently, the quality of learning for children who attend them. This will be accomplished by redesigning the Chicago Urban Teacher Education Program into a "Residency Plus" model. The residency year will be preceded by a prerequisite Foundations Year that candidates must successfully complete in order to be admitted into the residency program. This project will focus on preparing secondary mathematics and biology teachers and elementary school teachers with an aim to prepare and support about 300 teachers over the five year grant period. A feature of this project is that resident alumni, in their third year of teaching and beyond, will participate in leadership development activities to prepare them to be Clinical Instructors so that they can mentor future residents.

The goal of this project is to improve student performance by improving the quality of new and prospective teachers. This will be accomplished by strengthening both the teacher preparation and school leadership programs to better meet the needs of the partnering schools. This project will prepare 170 teachers over the five year grant, focusing on certification strands in middle school/secondary science and math, bilingual/ESL, and elementary education. This project will partner with the Illinois Troops to Teachers program to recruit veterans to be participants in this project. Additionally, the project’s leadership component will partner with the Metropolitan Institute for Leadership in Education and Dr. Joseph Murphy of Vanderbilt University to focus on turnaround leadership initiatives.

Iowa Grantee Abstract

The goal of this project is to increase the learning and achievement of Iowa PK-12 students by continuously developing more highly effective teachers from pre-service through their teaching career. This will be accomplished by defining attributes of effective teaching and integrating those attributes into both pre-service programs and professional development for beginning and practicing teachers. This will enhance and support the professional development of prospective and current teachers in Iowa. As a statewide initiative, this project has the potential to affect all high-need school districts in Iowa.

Massachusetts Grantee Abstract

The goal of this project is to increase the number of effective teachers the Boston Teacher Residency Partnership (BTRP) prepares to teach in Boston Public Schools (BPS). This will be accomplished by recruiting and intensively preparing teacher candidates in high-need areas identified by BPS, including special education, English as a second language, science, mathematics and early childhood, with a focus on attracting teachers from underrepresented populations. Specifically, the BTRP plan is to prepare a total of 548 teachers, representing more than one-third of the district's total hiring needs and including 105 new special education teachers; 102 new teachers of English language learners; 175 math and science teachers; 48 early childhood teachers. This project scales up the already well-established Boston Teacher Residency (BTR) program and adds an emphasis to the preparation of K-2 teachers by including Wheelock College in the existing partnership of BTR, Boston Plan for Excellence, UMass-Boston, and BPS.

New Mexico Grantee Abstract

The goal of this project is to improve student achievement by improving the quality of novice teachers and administrators. This will be accomplished by preparing highly qualified special education teachers for high-need school districts and will include financial incentives, expanded content knowledge, and improved clinical experiences for pre-service and new teachers. Over the five year grant, this project will prepare 40 teacher candidates to serve in rural, northern New Mexico. A feature of this project is its partnership with universities that have a high percentage of Native American and Hispanic students who live in the area served by this project. These candidates are more likely to be retained in the partnering high-need schools after they have successfully completed the residency program.

New York Grantee Abstract

The goal of this project is to prepare highly effective teachers who improve the achievement of high-need elementary students in the Bronx. This will be accomplished by developing and implementing a model for teacher preparation reform through an innovative school-centered, needs-based 5th year teacher preparation program that includes integrated professional development and induction support activities. Over the five year grant period, this project will prepare 125 childhood educators who are highly qualified as teachers of English language learners and students with special needs. A feature of this project is its focus on integrated literacy instruction to improve math scores of its partnering schools' English language learner and special needs populations.

North Carolina Grantee Abstract

The goal of this project is to improve student achievement in high-need schools and increase retention of effective teachers in these schools. This will be accomplished by improving the preparation of teachers and administrators so that they can be more successful in high-need schools with diverse student populations. Over the five year grant, this project will prepare 475 teachers through both residency and pre-baccalaureate pathways. A feature of this project is its focus on the cultural competency of its candidates. Seminars for teacher candidates devoted to the topic of diversity as well as weaving it into the core curriculum will help project graduates be successful when teaching students from a wide range of backgrounds.

Texas Grantee Abstract

The goal of this project is to improve the quality of teachers prepared to serve in high-need schools. This will be accomplished by implementing the UTeach model for the preparation of STEM teachers at Cleveland State University (CSU), and then extending the reform to the other teacher preparation programs at CSU based on lessons learned from the UTeach program. As a replication site for the UTeach program, CSU will build on the experiences of other UTeach sites, and gradually expand this approach to preparing teachers in other content areas.

Virginia Grantee Abstract

The goal of this project is to increase student achievement in the high-need secondary schools of RPS. This will be accomplished by designing and piloting an intensive, school-based teacher preparation program that integrates the research and theory behind effective urban teaching with a year-long residency under the mentorship of an exemplary classroom teacher. Over five years, the project will prepare and support 80 new secondary teachers for RPS. A feature of this project is that the residency graduates will attend Teacher Leadership 101 training in their third year of teaching to prepare graduates to take leadership roles in their high-need schools.

Washington Grantee Abstract

The goal of this project is to improve student performance while closing the achievement gap in the partnering high-need LEAs. This will be accomplished by reforming all of the teacher preparation programs, at both bachelor’s and master's levels. Additionally, the project will focus on recruiting Hispanic and Native American candidates into teacher preparation programs at Heritage University. Over the course of five years, 60 pre-baccalaureate and 60 graduate teacher candidates will be prepared while increasing the knowledge and skills of 40 lead teachers. All candidates will receive specializations in mathematics, science, English language learning, or bilingual education. A feature of this project is that Heritage University is the only four-year, accredited university in South-Central Washington State. Heritage University is located on the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation and has a primary purpose of offering educational opportunities to communities that have traditionally been excluded from higher education.