BPS Teaching Fellowship SY25-26 Cohort

POSITION: BPS Teaching Fellowship 2025-26 Cohort member

REPORTS TO: Director of BPS Teacher Pipeline Programs

Position Number: N/A

Grade: N/A

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW:

Founded in 1647, Boston Public Schools (BPS) is the oldest public school district in the country. As the birthplace of America’s public education system, BPS has a long, rich tradition and commitment to education. We are a leader in urban education. BPS has been recognized nationally for programs and initiatives such as universal preschool, early childhood education, equitable school-based funding formula, and policy specifically focused on creating greater racial equity to name a few. Boston Public Schools is committed to transforming the lives of all children through exemplary teaching in a world-class system of innovative, welcoming schools. We partner with the community, families, and students to develop the knowledge, skill, and character in every learner to excel in college, career, and life.

BPS TEACHER PIPELINES OVERVIEW

Boston Public School’s Teacher Pipeline Programs (BPS TPP) are part of the larger strategy of the Recruitment, Cultivation, and Diversity programs to address the demand for highly qualified, equity-minded, and racially literate teachers for Boston’s classrooms. Our core belief is that the next generation of Boston’s teachers are in the schools, homes, and communities of Boston right now. This permeates all the work we do. BPS TPP are multigenerational, community-based teacher preparation programs for preservice and in-service teachers. We represent the third generation of teacher preparation programs in the US – Teacher 3.0 (Kretchmar & Zeichner, 2016)- where our candidates are prepared to work in solidarity with their families and students by interrupting racism at personal and systemic levels using the critical literacy of race (Sealey-Ruiz 2020).

Our teacher preparation programs are unique: we are among the few nationally and certainly the state’s only locally-embedded, state-approved, multigenerational, “grow your own ” educator preparation program. The overarching mission of the BPS TPP is to support racially, linguistically, and culturally diverse teachers by providing a coherent and comprehensive pathway from paraeducator to professional teacher. Keeping students at the center of our work, we aim to cultivate teachers who empower young people to be change agents for the city’s communities. This is work we know can happen in classrooms where teachers are committed, responsive, and reflective of the students and their various cultures, heritages, backgrounds, and languages. In May 2025, we will expand our program by launching a federally-funded Bilingual Inclusive Education Program, which will cultivate bilingual and multilingual paraeducators to become BPS educators in inclusive classrooms. BPS TPP’s three overarching goals are:

• develop and sustain an affordable pathway to an advanced degree for BPS teachers of color;
• increase the number of BPS teachers who reflect the linguistic, racial, and ethnic diversity of Boston’s students through an accessible pathway and supportive programming, and
• improve the ability and agency of BPS teachers to center race and racism through culturally affirming pedagogy and practice

The BPS TPP comprises three programs, two of which have been running since about 2017. The third program, the Bilingual Inclusive Education (BIE) Program, set to launch in May 2025, is a TQP-funded project to cultivate bilingual paraeducators to become permanent BPS dual language inclusion teachers. All three programs prioritize ESL, SEI and BEE licensure tracks for BPS teachers.

BPS TPP’s core belief is that the next generation of Boston’s teachers are in the schools and in the communities of Boston right now permeates all of the work we do.

BPS TEACHING FELLOWSHIP OVERVIEW

Participant Benefits:

Our innovative educator preparation training model is designed to help BPS Teaching Fellows lead their students to success from the moment they step into their classrooms. We offer:

• One-on-One Intensive & Individualized Coaching: BPS Teaching Fellows receive rigorous instructional coaching from our expert staff, who are doctorate-level veteran teachers. Fellows are also shepherded to endorsement for licensure through the state’s Candidate Assessment Portfolio (CAP). Our coaching model will help Fellows see exponential growth in their practice over time. Each Fellow will receive frequent and consistent feedback on pedagogy and practice from BPSTF specialists on a weekly basis throughout the school year. Teaching Fellows are strongly supported to prepare for and pass all required MTEL tests during their time in the Fellowship. Fellows are also required and supported to secure their Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement—a requirement for teaching in BPS.
• Early Summer Pre-Practicum and Programming: A key component of the BPS Teaching Fellowship is its gradual release model. During the May welcome session, Fellows are introduced to the online ESL and MD course modules they will complete over the summer. During August orientation, Fellows co-construct their vision of good teaching while also beginning to work in small group instruction. In September, Fellows begin their 1-month intensive pre-practicum while teaching in BPS to build upon their content and pedagogical knowledge, as they continue their online academic work and engage in our bi-monthly Academy session courses. Throughout the pre-practicum, Fellows receive intensive in-person coaching and support from full-time specialists that includes weekly coaching sessions. Readiness for full practicum is assessed at the end of September.
• Professional Development & Coursework: Fellows participate in in-person Academy sessions from September through May, and online coursework over the course of the year.
• School Year Practicum: BPS Teaching Fellows to advance to the practicum phase of the program in October where they receive continuous and individualized coaching, feedback, and professional development through May in their respective classrooms. A supervising practitioner, or mentor teacher, is assigned to each Fellow. This veteran teacher in their school assists in the coaching and with DESE’s observation and feedback cycles, outlined in the next section.
• Assessment of Performance: At the end of the school year, Fellows are assessed on the state’s Candidate Assessment of Performance (CAP) rubric to ensure that they have met program competencies to earn licensure to continue their career as BPS teachers. Fellows work with specialists to gain competency in each of the seven CAP elements throughout the year.
• Endorsement and Initial Licensure: As an approved educator preparation program for the MA DESE, Fellows who meet the program requirements will be endorsed for initial licensure in Moderate Disabilities (all levels) or English as a Second Language. Upon completion of all required MTELs, DESE grants initial licensure.

Who is Eligible?

In order to participate in the program, Fellows must apply for and be hired into a full-time Boston Public Schools teaching position by September 30th, 2025 and possess either an emergency or provisional license. Throughout the spring and summer, candidates can take advantage of open district hiring opportunities such as job fairs, teaching demonstration days (a.k.a. “Demo Days”), and networking events for aspiring educators. 

Qualifications and eligibility for the program:

• Earn a bachelor’s degree by June 30, 2025
• Possess an emergency or provisional license valid through June 2026
• Be hired into a full-time teaching position for the SY 2025-2026 at a BPS school

Important Components of the programming:

• Complete summer online coursework
• Attend two required orientations – May 2025 and early September 2025 (dates TBD)
• Engage in weekly coaching sessions beginning in September and ending in May
• Complete RETELL course and obtain SEI Endorsement (if not already earned)
• Attempt all required MTELs—this is mandatory
• Complete all online coursework and attend all Academy sessions (in-person from Oct-Dec and Mar-Apr; on Zoom from Jan-Feb)
• Attend relevant course sessions, e.g., RETELL (if necessary) and MTEL prep (if necessary)

Tuition Cost:

The BPS Teaching Fellowship is free for SY25-26.

Program Obligations:

• Complete all online coursework on time
• Earn SEI Endorsement
• Engage in ongoing attempts and preparation for MTELs / make significant progress towards completing required MTELs
• Attend and participate in all Academy Sessions (1 unexcused allowed)
• Demonstrate proficiency on the Candidate Assessment of Performance (CAP) rubric by the end of the academic year

How to Apply?

A complete application is due by 11:59 pm on April 11, 2025. You must submit your résumé and references as part of your application.

Application Questions (Required): Submitting your application on TalentEd is the first round in BPSTF’s admissions process. Once you submit your application, you will be emailed with two additional tasks: complete a set of questions via a Google form, and sign up for an interview with our staff. Thank you!

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