Funding Teacher Preparation Programs

Elevate the quality, sustainability, and accessibility of your teacher preparation program by making the most of available resources. This toolset identifies opportunities to access and combine multiple funding streams to provide robust, durable support for programs and the teacher candidates who participate in them. It was informed by institutions of higher education and local education agencies, and developed by the interagency State Collaborative for California’s Educator Workforce in conjunction with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), with research and support from WestEd.


Teacher Preparation Program Funding Explorer is a comprehensive and searchable database of federal and state dollars and grant opportunities that can be applied toward a teacher preparation program. It also contains funding resources available to prospective teacher candidates. These funds may be blended and braided to provide robust, durable support as you develop and sustain your teacher preparation program—view the scenarios below for examples.

Teacher Residency Program Funding Scenarios share examples of real teacher residency programs in California that have robust financial packages for teacher residents. The examples illustrate strategies for maximizing program affordability for teacher residents and funding program operations. Program planners may use these scenarios in a variety of ways, including: 

  • Assess how well a residency program’s financial package may address residents’ program and living expenses
  • Learn how program design and offerings can impact the financial aid residents can leverage
  • Identify ways to optimize program affordability
  • Consider the kinds of staff support needed to operate a residency and potential funding approaches for long-term program sustainability

Download your choice of scenarios outlined below.

TraitsMountain VistaMetro CitySpring ValleyOcean ShoresGreenvilleHarbor Hill
IHE PartnerCalifornia State UniversityUniversity of CaliforniaCalifornia State UniversityPrivateCalifornia State UniversityPrivate
LEA PartnerCounty Office of EducationUnified School DistrictCity School DistrictUnified School DistrictUnified School DistrictElementary School District
Program Start2019

2018

2016201920132023
RegionNorthernNorthernCentralCentralCentralSouthern
LocaleTown in largely rural areaCity in largely urban areaUrban hub of a rural areaCoastal town in a rural areaUrban hub of a rural areaUrban hub of rural area
Compensation Model
  • Stipend
  • Paraprofessional Teaching
  • Substitute Teaching
  • Stipend
  • Housing
  • Stipend
  • Substitute Teaching
  • Stipend
  • Stipend
  • Paraprofessional Teaching (for SpEd focused residents only)
  • Substitute Teaching
  • Stipend
  • Paraprofessional Teaching (for SpEd focused residents only)
  • Substitute Teaching
Specialization
  • SPED
  • UTK
  • STEM
  • Single Subjects
  • Bilingual
  • Multiple Subjects-social science
  • STEM
  • Multiple Subjects
  • SPED
  • Single Subjects
  • Multiple Subjects
  • SPED
  • STEM
  • UTK
  • Bilingual
  • SPED
  • Bilingual
  • Multiple Subjects

Funding Sustainability

Primarily funded by recurring funding sourcesFunded by both recurring and one-time funding sourcesPrimarily funded by recurring funding sourcesPrimarily funded by one-time funding sourcesFunded by both recurring and one-time funding sourcesFunded by both recurring and one-time funding sources

 


Roadmap to Teaching in California is a web tool designed to support meaningful conversations with education career candidates, from classroom teachers to principals to counselors and more. It’s a great way to support informed decisions and put educator candidates in touch with financial resources that can minimize their expenses and expand their opportunities on the path to a credential. Plus, trained career counselors are standing by to help!

Updated August 21, 2024