Equitable Access to Teachers of Color Matters

NCTR’s core commitment is to build and develop teacher residencies as a lever to address the enduring and systemic inequities in school systems.

Le Marquee Le Flora is a Resident at the Memphis Teacher Residency. This photo was taken at Kingsbury High School.
What We Do

The National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR) is the only organization in the country dedicated to developing, launching, supporting, and accelerating the impact of teacher residency programs.

Through community-based clinical preparation that is tailored to partner school districts’ context, teacher residencies are a proven strategy to increase teacher diversity, effectiveness, and retention.

What is a Teacher Residency?

NCTR’s residency model blends a rigorous full-year classroom apprenticeship for pre-service teachers with academic coursework that is closely aligned with the classroom experience. Teacher residents learn how to teach by working for an entire year alongside a highly trained, supported mentor teacher in the school district where the resident will eventually work. Teacher residency programs typically require that candidates commit to teach in the school for a minimum of three years.

Learn About the Residency Model
Armani Alexander is a Resident at the Memphis Teacher Residency. This photo was taken at Treadwell Elementary School.
Why NCTR's Model is Better

Since 2007, NCTR has helped launch more than 40 teacher residency programs that are preparing diverse, talented, and effective educators

NCTR’s model has been documented to have a unique impact on the instructional effectiveness of mentors. In a study conducted by Glass Frog Solutions, “hosting a resident in NCTR residency programs has shown to improve teacher effectiveness throughout the residency year” (NCTR Annual Report 2019-2020).

90 %+
of partners' graduates work in Title I schools.
85 %
retention rate three years after graduating from our partner residencies.
94 %
of our partner residencies' graduates feel prepared to tackle the rigors of high-needs classrooms.
93 %+
of principals report residents to be more prepared to teach compared to a typical first-year teacher.
The staff at my residency program are AMAZING. Hands down BEST learning experience as a student and professional.
NCTR Partner Resident
I was so excited to have residents last year. They instantly became part of our school family.
NCTR Partner Principal
Being asked to plan units, backward planning, and using practical skills and strategies within our program prepared me to apply those practices to the classroom environment.
NCTR Partner Residency Graduate
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