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Tess Walker was preparing for a wakeup time of 4 a.m. and a long daily commute for a position that paid nothing.

The fourth-year liberal studies major was accepted as a teacher resident at Mark Twain Elementary School in Long Beach. But since she lived in San Dimas and couldn’t afford a place in Long Beach, she was ready to make some major sacrifices.

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Fortunately, a new, state-funded partnership between Cal State Long Beach’s College of Education and the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) brightened Walker’s outlook with a $34,200 stipend, plus training, for her efforts.

“It’s huge. As soon as they told us about the stipend, I realized I can actually afford to live out there,” said Walker, who’s participating with 15 others in the inaugural Long Beach Teacher Residency Program. “I came out of the womb wanting to be a teacher. I never wanted to be anything else.”

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The Long Beach Teacher Residency Program (LBTR) is a first-of-its-kind opportunity for ������ students to earn a substantial stipend for student teaching positions that typically go unpaid. The program also features small-group attention, preparation for critical certification exams and other non-financial support.

Two tracks at ������ feed into the program: the Urban Dual Credential Program (UDCP) and the Urban Teaching Academy (UTEACH). UDCP, coordinated by Lidiana Portales Blair, provides College of Ed students with multiple subject credentials, plus special education training. UTEACH, coordinated by Rita Suh, offers a multiple subject credential, along with Spanish bilingual authorization.

The student teachers get hands-on experience in elementary school classrooms throughout LBUSD. They also get robust guidance from mentor teachers and professional development throughout the school year. They’re part of a cohort, plus they get the opportunity to substitute teach in the district once per week – a chance to earn even more income.

The teacher residents also get help preparing for required credentialing exams, such as CalTPA, or the California Teaching Performance Assessment.

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“My passion is working with underserved communities and being an advocate for students,” said Marlee Aguirre, a Spanish-speaking, fourth-year student in liberal studies who’s also doing her teacher residency at Twain Elementary. “I really like how (the mentor teachers) bounce off each other and collaborate, building a sense of community and teamwork. I feel very prepared going through this program. Going into the classroom, I thought I would be a fish out of water. But now it feels so second nature.”

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The LBTR program is modeled after other successful residency initiatives in the state. But this is the first time the College of Education has operated this kind of residency program within a school district.

The university and LB Unified will receive $5 million from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing over four years. Graduates of LBTR will receive priority interviews with Long Beach Unified and agree to teach there (or in California) for at least four years over the next eight years. If the district can't place them, the program will support them with their job search.

A pipeline of future educators

The LBTR program aims to create a pipeline of quality teachers, many of them from the Long Beach community.  

“It’s a really great opportunity for Cal State Long Beach students to learn about our district, our curriculum, and also have a positive relationship with their mentor teacher that will hopefully last beyond the program,” said Kimberly Dalton, director of Human Resource Services with LBUSD. “Throughout the state of California, there is always a need for fully credentialed, special education teachers, as well as those who have the bilingual credential.”

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Erica Martinez, who’s in the UTEACH program and is a bilingual teacher resident at Patrick Henry Elementary, called LBTR “a godsend” that has allowed her to pursue a teaching career and pay the bills. Before LBTR, she thought she would have to rely on her own and her parents’ savings.

“I feel like it’s going well. It’s a lot of just being immersed and thrown into the fire,” said the single mother of three. “I think that’s the best way to learn, as far as teaching. (The LBTR program) is a really good opportunity for students to get that experience.”  

Watch Lidiana Portales Blair announce the LBTR program: