State of Montana Newsroom
Superintendent Arntzen Announces the Teacher Residency Demonstration Project Planned for Fall
HELENA – Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen announced today the creation of the Montana Teacher Residency Demonstration Project. This first-of-its-kind undergraduate program in Montana will help recruit, prepare, support, and retain K-12 teachers. This innovative new teacher preparation will provide a stipend for a full year in-classroom experience, possible district-provided housing, and teacher leader coaching to ensure student success.
“Solving Montana’s teacher retention and recruitment challenge demand innovation. More flexibilities are needed now more than ever to place quality teachers in our classrooms,” Superintendent Arntzen said. “The Montana Teacher Residency Demonstration Project is one such solution.”
The Montana Teacher Residency Demonstration Project is a full-year program that prepares education undergraduate majors to be effective teachers. The resident teacher, through classroom coaching by an effective teacher-leader, with support from the university and community, is a model for success for retaining quality teachers. The Montana Teacher Residency Demonstration Project begins in the fall of 2022 with a minimum of 8 demonstration schools, 16 resident teachers, and 16 teacher-leaders.
The program will begin with a two-week summer institute, followed by a year of residency under a teacher-leader in a school setting. The resident will participate in Office of Public Instruction (OPI) sponsored summits during the year while successfully completing undergraduate coursework toward their bachelor’s degree from the Montana University System. Residents receive a stipend during the residency year, partial tuition support, along with district-provided housing. Resident teachers will commit to teaching in a Montana high-needs school district for a minimum of two years.
The project team is meeting at the University of Montana on February 17-18. Those involved in the development of the demonstration project include representatives from the Montana University System, the OPI, volunteer school districts, the Montana School Boards Association, interested legislators, and expert residency model partners from Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Virginia, and Washington DC. The Montana Comprehensive Center has provided the facilitation of many think-tank sessions since October 2021.
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