Strengthening Public Education Through Research: Closing the Teacher Quality Gap via a Residency Model

• In Event: Roundtable Session 35
  In Roundtable Session: Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research SIG Roundtable 1

Abstract

U.S. Education Secretary Duncan recently called for more transparency surrounding teacher-training effectiveness and identified urban teacher residencies as an innovative teacher-training model to address the challenges of how to recruit, prepare, and retain effective teachers in high-needs districts. Despite the growing influence of urban residency programs, limited research on their graduates’ effectiveness exists. This paper meets Duncan’s call for more transparency in teacher-training effectiveness and discusses the evaluation of an urban teacher residency program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher Quality Partnership grant. Specifically, this paper examines: (1) retention of graduates in the residency program; (2) effectiveness of Residents as measured by supervisors and independent evaluators, and (3) Residents’ ability to help students make significant academic progress.

Authors

• Megan E. Britt, Saint Leo University

• Sharon A. Judge, Old Dominion University

• Tara Donahue, McREL