FAQs – Residency Program – PUC Teacher Residency Program

Frequently Asked Questions

What is teacher residency?

The inspiration for teacher residency comes from medical residency, as an effective strategy to train highly qualified professionals by aligning theory with clinical practice. Teacher Residency is one pathway to obtaining your California Teacher Preliminary Teaching Credential. Teacher residents “gain a full academic year of clinical practice under the guidance of a mentor teacher,” as described by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. As a participant in the PUC Teacher Residency program, Residents usually complete their residency and preliminary credential in one year and serve four additional years with PUC Schools as a credentialed teacher of record, for a total commitment of five years. Residents must be college graduates and submit evidence of their Bachelor’s degree.

What is the difference between residency and other credential pathways?

PUC Teacher Residency is a one-year paid co-teaching pathway wherein the Resident teacher works days co-teaching with their Mentor teacher in a PK-12 classroom and attends virtual classes at LMU during the evenings to obtain their Preliminary Credential. The Resident is guided and supported by the PUC Teacher Residency Program and a Mentor Teacher who coaches, models, brainstorms, plans, and co-teaches with the Resident teacher four days of the week. PUC TRP offers all Residents a salary + benefits, an additional living stipend, and a partial scholarship to LMU. Residents may also be eligible for individual grants or loans towards their coursework.
The Traditional Teacher Credential pathway offers 1-2 years of coursework with integrated student teaching experiences, often for 3 months. Student teachers attend college classes full time during the day. In this traditional pathway, the student teachers are not paid. Student teachers may be eligible for scholarships or grant money for their coursework requirements, depending on the individual and program.
The Intern Credential pathway allows candidates to serve as a teacher of record and earn a salary while attending graduate school to complete credentialing requirements. Intern candidates must balance post graduate-level coursework with full-time employment as a first year-teacher, but without the mentorship and built-in program supports of a Residency model.

See the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s Pathways at a Glance for more specific information.

PUC Teacher Residency Program: When does the Residency start and end?

PUC TRP begins in June of each year and concludes near the end of May.

Official start dates for the program vary year by year, but always there is a required week of Jump Start training and orientation in June, and LMU coursework begins in June as well.
Official start dates for schools vary depending on the school where Residents are placed, and there are typical school professional development site days that vary as well.

PUC Teacher Residency Program: How much will I earn during my Residency year and afterwards?

All PUC TRP Residents are paid full-time with benefits as paraprofessionals or educational assistants. The hourly pay scale ranges depending on years of experience upon entering the program, from $24.78 - 32.24/hr + benefits.
TRP Residents also receive a stipend of $9814 for the residency year.
When the salary and living stipend are combined, the total compensation range is between $47,000 and $58,000, depending on prior experience.

PUC Teacher Residency Program: What happens after finishing the PUC Teacher Residency Program?

Residency is designed as a one-year program during which time Residents are expected to fulfill all credentialing requirements, followed by four years of teaching at a PUC school as a credentialed teacher of record.
Upon receiving Preliminary Credential and meeting program requirements, you will be given priority hiring for a teaching position at a PUC School that aligns with your credential.

Application: When do applications open and close?

Application: What does the application process look like?

Application: What are the responsibilities of a TRP Resident?

Application: What is PUC TRP looking for in an applicant?

We are searching for passionate and diverse teacher candidates from our community who want to impact greater change within PUC Schools, our communities, and in the lives of our students. During the recruitment process, we assess candidates in the four categories outlined below:

Commitment and Professionalism: Are you passionate about teaching and learning? Are you prepared and resourceful? Do you display self-awareness and competency?
Written and Verbal Communication: Do your application and interview responses demonstrate effective grammar and use of style conventions? Do your responses reflect understanding of and relevance to the questions asked? Are your responses culturally aware and sensitive?
Critical Reflection: Are you reflective and solutions-oriented? Are you receptive to and eager for feedback? Do you use data to inform your self-reflection and show evidence of taking action and responsibility for personal and professional growth?
Teaching Foundations: Are you able to relate to and connect with students through content? Do you show evidence of purposeful instructional planning? Are you eager to support the PUC TRP vision/mission?

Application: Do I need to be an Education Major to apply?

Financials: Am I paid during my residency?

All PUC TRP Residents are paid full-time with benefits as paraprofessionals or educational assistants. The hourly pay scale ranges depending on years of experience upon entering the program, from $24.78 - 32.24/hr + benefits.
TRP Residents also receive a stipend of $9814 for the residency year.
When the salary and living stipend are combined, the total compensation range is between $47,000 and $58,000, depending on prior experience.

Financials: How much is tuition?

Financials: Does PUC TRP provide financial aid for tuition?

In partnership with Loyola Marymount University, PUC TRP provides a special scholarship that pays for over 35% of tuition for all Residents in the program. We also support our Residents to access grants and other financial aid opportunities through state and federal funding. Residents do have to complete and submit their own Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year.
PUC TRP provides a living stipend of $9814 as part of the Resident compensation package. This stipend can be used for tuition payments, teacher exam fees, edTPA fees, or other expenses Residents may incur throughout their residency year.
We encourage Residents to connect with the Loyola Marymount School of Education Office of Financial Services to complete their FAFSA and explore additional scholarships and grants, including the Golden State Teacher Grant Program.

Financials: What are employment benefits?

Loyola Marymount School of Education: What classes do I take and when?

Loyola Marymount School of Education: I’m interested in also getting my Master’s degree. How does it work?

After obtaining the Preliminary Credential in the first year, the Resident can complete the one year Master’s degree program from LMU. Coursework from the Residency Year counts as coursework towards your Master’s degree. LMU commits to providing a significant scholarship to PUC TRP Residents for the Master’s degree program.
TRP Resident graduates may defer entering the LMU Master’s program for up to two years and still receive the scholarship. Some graduates elect to defer for one year so they can focus on their first year as a teacher of record and their Induction program requirements. Others choose to complete the Master’s program during their first year of teaching.

Loyola Marymount School of Education: How do I find out more about the LMU program?

Upon Completion: After I receive my Preliminary Teaching Credential, am I able to teach in another content area than the one I trained in and was credentialed in?

Upon Completion: Will PUC give me a job automatically after I complete my residency?

Upon Completion: What kind of credential will I have after I complete the program?

Upon Completion: Am I required to teach at a PUC School once I complete the program?

Upon Completion: What if I am unable to commit to 4+ years of teaching within the organization?

Our goal at PUC TRP is to recruit, train, and retain teachers for longevity service at PUC Schools. If you are unable to commit to the full program at this time, then you should not apply yet.
We recognize that sometimes life presents us with challenges and circumstances that contradict our plans and commitments. Should this happen to a TRP Resident, we will work with you to determine next steps on a case-by-case basis.
If you are unable to complete your 4+years of service teaching at a PUC School, you may be responsible for repayments to PUC TRP for residency training provided.