Rural Teacher Residency Program

The Rural Teacher Residency Program strengthens and diversifies the teacher workforce by using a “Grow Your Own” model that supports prospective teachers in rural communities throughout Fresno County. Our cohorts are made up primarily students from geographically isolated, low-income communities who share similar cultural, linguistic, and geographic backgrounds, creating a pipeline for teachers who reflect and understand the communities they serve.

Our program is dedicated to diversifying the teacher workforce and promoting equitable hiring practices to address the diversity gap and reduce high teacher turnover rates in our rural district partners. In the West Region, we collaborate with CSU Fresno and partner with Firebaugh-Las Deltas, Golden Plains, Kerman, and Mendota Unified School Districts. The East Region is a collaboration with Fresno Pacific University, working alongside Caruthers, Fowler, Kings Canyon, Laton, and Selma Unified School Districts.

In our program, you will have the opportunity to earn a preliminary teaching credential while gaining a full year of hands-on classroom experience. The West Region offers the chance to earn a Multiple Subject Credential, with the option to add a Bilingual Authorization in Spanish through CSU Fresno. In the East Region, you can pursue a Multiple Subject Credential, with the option of a Bilingual Authorization in Spanish, or Single Subject Credentials in high-demand areas such as Math, Science, and more, through Fresno Pacific University.