Take Action
Tell your senators to increase aspiring educators’ access to residency programs.
Expanding the Federal Work-Study program to pay some of the cost for residency programs will enable more aspiring educators, principals, and school leaders to participate in them.
High-quality residency programs offer an intensive clinical practice that allows students to work with a mentor teacher, principal, or school leader for an academic year in the classroom on school. This prepares them for the profession, bringing their academic experiences to life.
Residencies create profession-ready educators and school leaders, and support retention in the profession. But with the high cost of college, many aspiring educators cannot afford to participate in residencies. The bipartisan Teacher, Principal, and Leader Residency Access Act (S. 1468) would make these programs more accessible to a wider, more diverse set of candidates by expanding the Federal Work-Study program to pay some of the cost.