Reimagining the Future of Teacher Preparation through High-Quality Teacher Residency Program: The role of school leadership

• In Event: Rewriting the Narrative: Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining the Future of Teacher Preparation

Abstract

Objectives

This presentation examines the role of school leadership in shaping and sustaining high-quality teacher residency programs (TRPs), focusing on five school districts serving culturally and linguistically diverse student populations. As TRPs gain national recognition for improving teacher effectiveness and retention, especially in high-need areas, this study explores how school-based leadership contributes to success and sustainability. The study’s objective is to identify the leadership practices that stakeholders, teacher residents, mentors, site coordinators, principals, and district leaders, perceive as essential to high-quality TRPs. Ultimately, the findings aim to inform policy and practice by offering actionable insights that promote inclusive, equitable, and sustainable residency pathways.

Theoretical Framework

This study is grounded in an integrated theoretical framework drawing on instructional leadership (Hallinger, 2005), distributed leadership (Spillane et al., 2004), and communities of practice (CoP) (Wenger, 1998), in conjunction with the National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR, 2021) framework. Instructional leadership emphasizes the principal’s role in shaping school culture and professional learning environments, while distributed leadership highlights the shared responsibilities of various school actors in supporting TRPs. CoPs provide a lens for understanding the collaborative, reflective learning that occurs among stakeholders.

Methods/Data

The study was conducted in two phases. In Phase One, program evaluation data (2022–2024) and interviews with site coordinators were analyzed to identify five schools/districts exemplifying high-quality TRPs, based on established characteristics of effective TRPs (Guha et al., 2017; Fitz & Yun, 2024). In Phase Two, in-depth data were collected from the selected schools, including fieldnotes, analytic memos, and semi-structured interviews (N=59) with teacher residents, mentors, site-coordinators, and school leaders. Concurrently, survey data (N=113) were also collected from all stakeholders involved in TRPs across the region.

Qualitative data analysis involved transcribing interviews and applying both provisional and open coding aligned with the study’s theoretical framework. This was followed by axial and thematic coding using NVivo software. Peer debriefing supported the trustworthiness of the findings and contributed to data triangulation

Results/Conclusions

Survey and interview findings underscore the pivotal role of school leadership in TRP success. Instructional leadership emerged through principals’ efforts to build trust, foster belonging, and create supportive professional learning environments by maintaining “open‑door” communication, treating residents as “staff and family,” and granting access to PD sessions offered to mentor teachers. Distributed leadership appeared in principals’ delegation of responsibilities to instructional coaches, mentor teachers, and site coordinators, supported by consistent communication with stakeholders. CoP were strengthened through residents’ inclusion in collaborative planning (e.g., PLCs), fostering shared professional growth. These practices enhanced school‑university partnerships, supported mentors, and contributed to program sustainability, though opportunities remain for more structured feedback and improved district‑level communication.

Scholarly Significance

This study reframes teacher residency research by centering school leadership as a critical component of TRP quality and sustainability. Drawing on insights from all stakeholders, it identifies actionable practices that foster collaborative school–university partnerships, strengthen mentor support, and enhance program quality. These findings provide evidence‑based guidelines for partner schools and inform district/school‑level policy recommendations to cultivate high‑quality teachers and strengthen the residency model for long‑term impact.

Authors

• Zulmaris Diaz, University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley

• GoMee Park, University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley

• Lileana Ríos-Ledezma, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley