Transforming Latinx Teacher Preparation Through a Partnership-Based Residency Model

• In Event: Strengthening the Latinx Teacher Pipeline Through Residency and Research-Practice Partnerships

Abstract

The last two decades have seen the rise of residency models of teacher preparation, especially in the alternative certification arena (Berry et al., 2008; Zeichner & Bier, 2012). Early studies of residencies tended to focus on program descriptions and design elements (Silva et al, 2014; Solomon, 2009), while more recent studies have begun to examine the performance and achievement outcomes of residencies for both resident graduates and their students (Bardelli et al., 2023). Several large-scale studies have examined the impact of different preparation pathways, including residency, on initial teacher effectiveness, student outcomes, and teacher retention, which had mixed results and which signaled the need to examine the different design features of particular pathways (Matsko et al, 2022; Ronfeldt, 2021).

In this emerging literature, few studies of residency have enacted a research-practice approach to understanding residency impact on teacher candidate preparedness. This paper seeks to address that gap by presenting findings from one university-based paid residency program developed in close partnership with seven school districts and scaled across undergraduate and post-baccalaureate pathways. The study is situated at a very-high research, Hispanic Serving Institution with a student demographic that is more than 80% Hispanic and nearly 50% first-generation college-going. The design of the partnership-based residency aligned with key research-based principles for high-quality residencies outlined by Guha and colleagues (2016): an extended, year-long placement in high-needs schools; careful selection and training of mentor teachers; coaching and support from a university clinical faculty member known as a Site Coordinator; and candidate assessment around a core set of teaching competencies.

Data sources for this mixed methods study include: (1) teacher candidate exit surveys from 2022-2023 (n=165), including both semester-long student-teachers (ST, n=79) and year-long residents (TR, n=86); (2) interviews with first-year teachers prepared by the residency (n=14); and (3) surveys of beginning teachers (n=58), including those prepared by the university residency (n= 36) and those prepared by other pathways, most often alternative routes (n=22). The 16 preparedness items on the two surveys aligned to the state evaluation framework for teachers across the four dimensions of lesson planning, instruction, learning environment, and professional responsibilities.

Findings from the exit surveys revealed close similarities in perceived preparedness by candidates in the student-teaching pathway as compared to the residency pathway, with residents rating themselves slightly higher on seven items, including lesson design for diverse learners, formal and informal assessments, lesson alignment to state standards, and reflection on practice. Results from the beginning teacher survey revealed more meaningful differences across groups, with residency-prepared teachers rating themselves as “well-very well” prepared at nearly double the rate of other-prepared teachers on 11 of the 16 items. In interviews, residency-prepared teachers repeatedly mentioned “confidence” as one of their most important takeaways from their preparation experience. These emerging findings contribute not only to the partnership-driven collective impact effort to strengthen teacher preparation in this region, but also to the growing knowledge base about teacher residencies and their effectiveness.

Authors

• Erika L. Mein, University of Texas - El Paso

• Marco Delgado, University of Texas - El Paso