Texas Education Agency surprises 17 student teachers with $20,000 stipends

Staff Reports

LOCKHART – Texas State University students participating in the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) approved teacher residency program at Lockhart ISD were surprised with $20,000 annual stipends awarded during a special event on Jan. 18 at Clear Fork Elementary.

The stipends, in the form of oversized checks, were presented to a cohort of 17 Texas State students who are embedded in Lockhart ISD for a full year, working with mentor teachers and engaging with students. The funds are meant to support the students financially while they are working in the residency program.

TEA, through Lockhart ISD, will fund the 17 Texas State teacher residents assigned this year to Lockhart ISD, and 20 students per year in the next two years. Texas State was named a TEA approved/vetted teacher residency program following a rigorous application process. Lockhart ISD applied to TEA for the funds and to work with Texas State.

“It’s very encouraging to see this highly collaborative partnership in which Lockhart ISD, Texas State University and the Texas Education Agency are all coming together to provide the highest quality teacher education and to support our aspiring teachers,” said Michael O’Malley, dean of the College of Education at Texas State. “Our future teachers are talented and committed, and this innovative teacher residency helps ensure they will be fully ready for day one as full-time classroom teachers.”

A high-quality teacher residency model is one in which a teacher candidate is paired with an experienced, highly effective mentor teacher for a full-year of clinical training and co-teaching in a K-12 classroom. Residencies take place at the undergraduate and post-baccalaureate level.

In some cases, residents receive a stipend during the year-long residency. In high-quality teacher residency models, the university and school district have shared ownership over the preparation, support and success of the teacher.