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 in every learner the knowledge, skill, and character to excel in college, career, and life. 

OFFICE OVERVIEW:

The Office of Retention, Cultivation & Diversity Programs (RCD) is committed to recruiting, hiring, developing, and retaining a racially, ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse group of highly effective and culturally proficient teachers and staff members every year. We continue to focus our efforts on three key “levers” for human capital reform: 1) Recruit & Cultivate, 2) Hire Early, and 3) Develop and Retain. These levers remain at the center of our strategy for accelerating student learning. 

Teacher Pipeline Development is an important component of the overarching Boston Public Schools (BPS) strategy to increase and improve the diversity of exemplary teachers in the district’s teacher pipeline. Boston Public Schools is the only district in the state of Massachusetts certified by DESE to grant initial licensure through its own homegrown pipeline program - The BPS Teaching Fellowship (BPSTF)

The BPSTF is a district-led homegrown teacher preparation and certification program that leads to initial licensure. This 12-month program recruits and prepares provisional teachers with deep roots in the Boston community to lead our students to academic success in English as a Second Language, English as a Second Language and Elementary, Special Education (Moderate Disabilities), and Special Education (Moderate Disabilities) and Elementary.

Participant Benefits:

Our innovative training model is designed to help Fellows lead their students to success from the moment they step into their classrooms.

• One-on-One Expert Coaching: BPS Teaching Fellows receive rigorous instructional coaching from our expert staff of full-time New Teacher Developers.  Our coaching model will help you see exponential growth in your practice over time. You will receive immediate feedback from veteran BPS teachers in real-time to support the growth and development of you and your students.

• Summer Enrollment and Early Fall Pre-Practicum: A key component of the BPS Teaching Fellowship is its gradual release model.  During the summer enrollment period, Fellows make virtual observations of exemplary practice, then later, during August orientation, Fellows transition to small group instruction.  In September, Fellows begin their 2-month pre-practicum, to build upon their summer experiences and become lead teachers in the classroom.  Throughout the pre-practicum, Fellows receive intensive in-person coaching and support from full-time New Teacher Developers and take part in Saturday instructional sessions.

• Professional Development: 

  Full-time BPS teachers in the BPS Teaching Fellowship participate in a blended learning model, including bi-monthly in-person or virtual evening sessions, district-level evening PD sessions from November through May, and online coursework over the course of the year.

• School Year Practicum: Candidates who demonstrate foundational teaching proficiency during the pre-practicum will be allowed to advance to the practicum phase of the program, where they receive continuous coaching, feedback, and professional development.

• Assessment of Performance: At the end of the school year, candidates 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.

• Initial Licensure: As an approved educator preparation program for the MA Department of Education, Fellows who meet the program requirements will earn their educator initial license.

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 for the fall and have an emergency or provisional license. Throughout the spring and summer, candidates can take advantage of open district hiring opportunities such as job fairs, demonstration dates and networking events for aspiring educators.  

Qualifications and eligibility for the BPS Teaching Fellowship program:

• Be passionate about improving academic outcomes for students
• Earn a bachelor’s degree by June 15, 2023
• Have an emergency or provisional license valid through June 2024
• Be hired into a full time teaching position for the SY 2023-2024 at a BPS school

Important Components:

• Summer Pre-Practicum Practicum - Virtual
• August Fellows Retreat
• Fall Practicum with coaching support through May
• Professional Development Sessions - After school

Tuition Cost:

Tuition for the BPS Teaching Fellowship will be $3,000 for SY23-24. The full amount must be paid upon the completion of the Fellowship. 

Program Obligations:

• Attend virtual orientation and summer pre-practicum
• Attend and participate in BPS’ New Teacher Institute (NTI) and accompanying BPSTF August Retreat
• Attend monthly in-person evening Academy Sessions throughout the school year
• Complete online coursework throughout the enrollment and school-year experience
• 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 May 31, 2023. You must submit your resume and references as part of your application.

Application Questions (Required): Submit reponses to the questions in this GOOGLE FORM

Opening Question

Why are you interested in the BPS Teaching Fellowship? How do you believe your experiences and skills align with the goals of the BPS Teaching Fellowship? 

Professionalism

Describe a time when you had to come up with a new approach for tackling a problem. 

Coachability

Describe a time when you received constructive feedback from a supervisor or colleague. 

• What was the situation? 
• How did you respond to the feedback? 
• What were the outcomes of the situation?

Ability to multi-task in an accelerated program

Share a time when you had to manage a large volume of work with competing priorities. 

• Share the situation: What did you do? 
• How did you decide what to prioritize? 
• What would you do differently looking back on this time?

Cultural Proficiency

As a BPS teacher, how would/do you create and maintain a safe, productive classroom environment in which students’ diverse backgrounds, identities, strengths, and challenges are respected and valued?

Growth Mindset

One of the Massachusetts Teacher Effectiveness Rubric elements is Reflective Practice (IV. A.1).  Why is this an important attribute for all teachers? How would/do you demonstrate proficiency in this element?