Our Impact
Preparing teachers. Strengthening schools. Transforming communities.
Together, we are building something bigger.
Across the National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR) community, partnership continues to drive meaningful growth and impact. Every teacher resident, mentor teacher, district leader, university partner, policymaker, and community member plays a role in strengthening educator preparation across the nation. Together, our collective impact is transforming how teachers enter—and remain in—the profession.
Katrina Nelson was a teacher resident at RTR Teacher Residency. This picture was taken at Ettrick Elementary School.
Former teacher resident Ethan Franklin practices his skills and knowledge to co-teach a class of students as part of the Arizona Teacher Residency program.
Valini Ramcharan of the Nashville Teacher Residency contributes to resident development at the organization through a workshop.
Our Impact Since 2007
35 States Plus D.C.
Reached Through Our Work
BEI Impact Since 2019
NCTR’s Boundless Educators Initiative (BEI) provides funding and support to organizations that aspire to increase student access to well-prepared teachers who reflect the communities they serve nationwide.
The Power of We: Building the Future of Teacher Preparation
Our community—composed of educator preparation providers, school districts, charter management organizations, local and state education agencies, nonprofit organizations, teachers’ unions, and community partners—represents the strength of partnerships working toward a common vision: expanding high-quality teacher preparation where it is needed most.
NCTR Community, 2025-2026
Levels and Types of Programs in NCTR’s Network
Geography of Network Program District and CMO Partners
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Race and Ethnicity of NCTR Network Program Enrollees and K-12 Students in Program Partner Districts/CMOs
Definitions of racial and ethnic categories align with those used by the federal government for IPEDS. Some programs and enrollees may not report race and ethnicity, so percentages for categories shown may not sum to 100%.
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surpassing the only 69% of new teachers nationally who complete three years of teaching*
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*Ingersoll and colleagues estimate that roughly 31% of beginning teachers from 1993-2003 left within three years. Ingersoll, Richard M.; Merrill, Elizabeth; Stuckey, Daniel; and Collins, Gregory. (2018). Seven Trends: The Transformation of the Teaching Force – Updated October 2018. CPRE Research Reports. Retrieved from https://repository.upenn.edu/entities/publication/f179131d-02df-47a7-b24d-0201ce0521e5.
Strong Schools Begin with Strong Teachers
And strong teachers begin with high-quality preparation. Teacher residency and registered apprenticeship programs provide aspiring educators with meaningful coursework and clinical experiences, expert mentorship, and ongoing support in the early years of teaching. By investing in these pathways, school districts can strengthen teacher quality and retention, build a more stable educator workforce, and create the conditions for lasting student achievement in their communities.
Calyn Cole was a teacher resident of the Alternative Pathways to Educator Certification (APEC) program at Coker University. This picture was taken at Edwards Elementary School.
“Participating in the residency program provides our school with the opportunity to develop and support future educators while strengthening instructional practices and student achievement. Residents bring fresh ideas, additional classroom support, and a willingness to learn, while also building a pipeline of highly trained educators who are already familiar with our school culture, expectations, and commitment to excellence.”
Principal of a Network Program
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What Our Community Says
The Impact of Our Work
Building capacity to transform teacher preparation is a central priority of NCTR’s strategic plan. We work with our Design Academy, Network, and Tailored Consulting members to foster continuous learning, strengthening the quality of teacher residency and registered apprenticeship programs while deepening their impact.
NCTR hosted an in-person two-day site visit in Minnesota for a cross-sector group of education leaders to examine how Minnesota is aligning policy with field-based teacher preparation.
“My primary goal for participating in Design Academy this year was to develop a strong foundation and framework for our residency program… The Design Academy provided the structure, tools, resources, and technical support needed to move from ideas to a concrete plan. The guidance from the NCTR team helped me refine my thinking, organize key components of the residency, and develop a more strategic and intentional approach to program design.”
Design Academy Participant
“Being a member of the NCTR Network is valuable because it gives us a broader lens and perspective on the work we are doing. The Network creates space for us to learn from other residency programs, hear what is working in different contexts, and reflect on how we can continue strengthening our own program… Our consultant’s knowledge and experience working with like-minded residency programs has played a huge role in our program’s development over the years.”
NCTR Network Member
Join Us in Advancing the Work
The future of teacher preparation depends on collaboration across preparation providers, school systems, policymakers, philanthropy, and communities.
