Study of Teaching Residency Programs

Teaching Residency Programs (TRPs), an alternative approach to teacher training, aim to attract talented new teachers to the profession and then provide training and support by combining limited coursework with a one-year supervised “residency” roughly similar to the student teaching practicum.

Mathematica evaluated federally funded TRPs for the U.S. Department of Education. In this study, we examined the characteristics of the programs, their applicants and participants by measuring elements such as program length, required coursework and activities, characteristics of mentor teachers, and selection criteria for participants. We also compared the retention rates of TRP and non-TRP novice teachers. Through our findings, we hope to help policymakers shape teacher preparation programs that recruit, train, retain, and support highly qualified teachers.