The Fresno Rural Teacher Residency Program Partnership between FCSS, Fresno State, and six rural districts serves as an exemplary model for educator preparation, and as an example of our recent local efforts to strengthen the rural teacher pipeline in Fresno County. Engaging in asset-based perspectives, our residency model utilizes a Grow Your Own Teachers (GYOT) model to engage the local rural community in intentional recruitment of future educators by including local students in the future teacher workforce through our partnership with Teaching Fellows expanded learning program.

Recruitment of Diverse Candidates

Although only in its second year of operation, the Rural Consortium has demonstrated early success in recruiting diverse applicants. Among participating residents to date, 79% self-identify as Latino/x, and 40% self-identify with rural identities. To see what we've been up to, click here.

Long Term Impacts

• K-12 students benefit from teachers who have a deep and personal understanding of their communities. New teachers who are residents of the communities build agency through cutting edge equity-driven professional development and strategically assigned mentor teachers.
• Feedback from rural district leaders has been overwhelmingly supportive. They have shared the return on investment was quick due to the preferential hiring of cohort 1 residents. 
• The program is currently expanding its partnership with four additional East Fresno rural districts. Serving 40 culturally and linguistically diverse residents annually, the Rural Consortium presents the opportunity for an equity impact over the span of a 30-year career trajectory for a teacher.
• Potential impact of 40 residents per year = 40 Highly Qualified, Diverse teachers hired annually across the rural districts in our consortium.
  • 40 teachers x 28 students per year= 1,120 TK-6 students reached annually
  • 30 year career for 40 teachers = 33,600 students reached across the lifetime of ONE residency cohort

Hiring Data

Of the 19 teacher residents that graduated from Cohort 1: 

• 74% received a contract prior to the completion of their program, 
• 63% were hired back into a rural district,  
• 27% were hired on Dual Immersion Contracts
  • This meets one of the high demands of the districts as the Rural Consortium school sites serve a predominantly Hispanic student population whose home language is not English.

Interested in learning more?

• If you are interested in learning more about our Resident Candidates, click here!
• If you are interested in learning more about our District Leadership, click here!