In general, teacher residency programs aim to prepare teachers for successful careers through an accelerated model of learning that allows them to gain experience in the classroom while completing their required coursework. Teacher residents are carefully selected and paired with experienced mentor teachers to learn all aspects of teaching including lesson planning, classroom management, and more.

Drexel University has partnered with the School District of Philadelphia and select Philadelphia public schools to develop a year-long, classroom-based teacher certification program. The Teacher Residency Program interviews and accepts exceptional and highly qualified candidates to enroll in Drexel's graduate-level teacher education courses while earning a salary and benefits as a School District of Philadelphia employee. The School District even picks up the bulk of the cost of coursework leading to teacher certification!

Accepted students serve as a Teacher Resident who work daily within a partnering school for a full year with a trained Mentor Teacher. Teacher residents work side-by-side with their Mentors to develop the skills needed to run a successful classroom. Teacher residents learn how to develop and deliver lessons, grow student engagement, manage time and classroom behavior, among many other skills that go into teaching. Drexel's teacher residency program prepares residents for careers in the following subjects:

• Grades 7-12 Secondary Teacher in the areas of Biology, Chemistry, Earth & Space Science, General Science, Mathematics, or Physics, or
• Grades 4-8 Middle Level Teacher in the areas of English Language Arts,* Mathematics, or Science.
• Grades PreK-12 Special Education

*Offering the ELA teacher education area will be dependent on the School District of Philadelphia's projected needs for Fall 2024.

The Philadelphia Teacher Residency (PTR) Teacher Certification Program begins in late June 2024 and ends at the close of the School District of Philadelphia's academic year in June 2025. Teacher Residents work in their assigned classrooms during the school day [as if they were a regular teacher] while putting to use the teaching skills they are learning in the hybrid, graduate-level courses in which the PTR Teacher Resident simultaneously enrolls. Hybrid coursework is supplemented with periodic face-to-face, on-campus meetings each month. The Drexel coursework satisfies the requirements for the Teacher Resident to obtain the PA Instructional I Teaching Credential in the area of certification being pursued.

Benefits of the PTR program include a salary (currently $38,611 for the academic year) and full health benefits as an employee of the School District of Philadelphia, as well as a tuition scholarship (currently $7,500) that covers nearly all tuition and tuition fees for a PA Instructional I teaching credential (currently ≈$10,500). Candidates are responsible for the costs associated with the required Praxis Exam(s) [an application requirement for program admission] and any text books/materials required in the coursework. Successful completion of the Teacher Residency Program guarantees a teaching position for Fall 2025 by the School District. Successful Teacher Residents also have the option of continuing their studies at Drexel (i.e., it is not required albeit encouraged) to add additional certifications or obtain a master’s degree at a substantially reduced tuition rate.

PTR Teacher Residents must be committed to teach in Philadelphia schools for at least three​ (3) years following their Teacher Residency year​.

In addition, Drexel University’s School of Education provides each PTR Teacher Resident with 2 years of post-graduation support at no cost to the Teacher Resident to help ensure that each is successful in leading their classrooms as a stand-alone teacher.

It was the wise Philadelphian Benjamin Franklin who said "an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." As a teacher in Philadelphia, you have the rare opportunity to impart knowledge and shape the learning of a generation of young people who come into your classroom. Residents in Drexel's teacher residency program learn with their fellow residents in a cohort model where they take classes together and learn from each other. Residents meet to share experiences and challenges they are facing in their classrooms and collaborate on solutions. Best of all, teacher residents are rewarded in seeing their students learn thanks to their lessons.

Drexel's teacher residency program is accelerated to help students complete their state-required coursework for teacher certification while simultaneously gaining valuable experience in the classroom, far beyond what student teachers would receive in a traditional teacher education program. Traditional teacher education programs can take multiple years to complete, whereas Drexel's Teacher Residency program can be completed in just one year.  

The Philadelphia Teacher Residency Program is uniquely designed for candidates who possess a bachelor’s degree and have strong content in their area of teacher certification to be pursued. Those pursuing Grades 7-12 should have degrees closely aligned with one of the specific content areas listed above. Those pursuing Grades 4-8 Middle Level English Language Arts, Mathematics or Science teacher certification do not necessarily need to have a degree in their specific content area but should have significant and successful content taken at the undergraduate level in the area they seek certification. To demonstrate proficiency in their content area, all candidates are required to have successfully completed the appropriate Praxis II Content Exam required by the PA Department of Education (PDE) for PA Instructional I teacher certification in the candidates' respective certification areas.

In addition to engaging in hybrid course work beginning Summer Quarter 2024 (June 2024), all candidates need to be prepared to:

• Participate in the intensive, Summer Institue Program (Weekdays: July 8 -12 2024 and July 15 - 19, 2024) in a Summer School situation and at Drexel University.
• Work standard school days and hours during the academic year.
• Attend a monthly seminar, one evening a month, to work collaboratively on Drexel's campus with other Teacher Residents, Mentor Teachers, and Drexel Site Directors (Drexel prepared employees who conduct the in-school observations of the Teacher Resident).

Praxis II Exams

Although the Praxis content exam is not required to explore the possibility of being a Teacher Resident or the initial interview processes, the successful PTR candidate will have passed the appropriate Praxis II Exam for their desired area of teacher certification by the School District's deadline date (currently set for April 1, 2024). When registering for the Praxis (ETS' Praxis Website), be sure to list Drexel University (code 2194) as a score recipient. If you do sit for the exam within PA's borders, be sure to also include the PDE (code 8033) as a score recipient. More information regarding this is provided to the candidates during a PTR Information Session meeting you will need to arrange with Barbara Johnston (bjk322@drexel.edu).

Background Clearances Required Prior to Starting Drexel program

If you are accepted for the PTR teacher certification program for June 2024, you will be required to submit all required clearances by June 1st, 2024. You will be required to submit the following clearances: FBI, PA Criminal History, PA Child Abuse and the Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse Training Certificate. You can learn more about required clearances at the School of Education’s Field Placement Office.

The School District of Philadelphia provides a generous tuition/fee allowance to cover the bulk of the tuition and fees for the recommended by Drexel for a PA Instructional I Teaching Certificate. It is estimated that the Teacher Resident would be responsible for approximately $5,300 - $9,500 in out-of-pocket expenses depending on their certification area. Grant aid and other financial aid financing options are available. Drexel has people who can assist you covering that cost next year.

Financing options include: 

• Federal TEACH Grant
• Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program
• Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans

Please contact Barbara Johnston (bjk322@drexel.edu) for specifics.

To apply to the Philadelphia Teacher Residency (PTR) Program, please contact the Program Manager, Barbara Johnston (bjk322@drexel.edu). We are currently conducting, hour-long, PTR Information Sessions via a Zoom. Please register for an info session on any of the dates listed above.

Application Requirements

PTR Candidates who successfully complete the Drexel and School District interview process, as well as pass the appropriate Praxis content exam for their area of initial teacher certification, will be provided a special application link to make formal application to Drexel University's Graduate School as a PTR Teacher Resident. These candidates will need to submit the following materials at that time:

• Completed PTR application
• Well-written essay
• Current Resume
• 2 to 3 letters of recommendation
• Praxis II Score (Drexel’s code is 2194)
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended to date

Please contact Barbara Johnston (bjk322@drexel.edu) regarding any immediate questions about Drexel's PTR Program.

If you are interested in becoming a teacher in Philadelphia, Drexel's Philadelphia Teacher Residency program may be the right fit for you. You can get started by contacting Barbara Johnston at bjk322@drexel.edu. You can also learn more about the program by attending an upcoming information session.