Five seniors at the UNT system school, all of whom are education majors, will be paid to teach elementary school for the entire Dallas ISD 2024-25 school year.
DALLAS — The University of North Texas Dallas is partnering with Dallas Independent School District to launch its first-ever Teacher Residency Program next school year.
Five seniors at the UNT system school, all of whom are education majors, will be paid to teach for the entire Dallas ISD 2024-25 school year. All of them will teach kindergarten through second grade. Three of the program participants will teach at Nancy J. Cochran Elementary School in western Oak Cliff and two will teach at Maple Lawn Elementary School in northwest Dallas.
They will teach multiple subjects in bilingual and English as a Second Language classes at the schools.
“It is so exciting to be able to go into a classroom. Ultimately, I know that through this program, I will gain invaluable experience that will help me in my career,” said Valerie Castaneda, one of the program participants.
The five selected seniors will be paid up to $30,000 and receive full benefits, according to the press release. Dallas ISD budgeted for this program through its Strategic Staffing Model, which was supported by Sandra Baptista, Dallas ISD Student Teacher and Special Initiatives Coordinator.
The student teachers will begin working on Aug. 1 alongside Dallas ISD teachers during professional development and preparation days prior to the school year. The first day of Dallas ISD classes is Aug. 12.
“Research indicates that candidates who complete a residency-type clinical experience drive increased teacher retention and student learning,” said Christine Remley, Dean of the UNT Dallas School of Education. “The district, the student teachers, and most importantly, the students will benefit from this arrangement.”
The new partnership between the UNT Dallas School of Education and Dallas ISD follows a preexisting relationship between the two and serves as a recruitment tool for Dallas ISD.
“I hope to leave the Dallas ISD Teacher Residency Program feeling more confident and prepared for my first year of solo teaching. I believe the best way to learn is through hands-on experience, so I am excited to finally be in the field, applying what I have learned in my classes,” said Kenedi Barbre, another of the five students in the program’s inaugural cohort.
Four other UNT Dallas students will be paid to teach one semester at Red Oak ISD. Those student teachers are part of a separate cooperative agreement between UNT Dallas and the school district.
All of the teaching assignments are part of the UNT Dallas School of Education’s updated curriculum. The university program requires all students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Education to pass all state-mandated certification exams in order to participate in clinical experiences.
For more information about UNT Dallas School of Education, click here.
To apply for a Dallas ISD teaching position, click here. Dallas ISD will also hold a job fair for aspiring and current teachers from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 8, at Pinkston High School.