Aspire Teacher Residency: How to Apply

Click here to complete a prospective applicant form to stay
updated on Aspire Teacher Residency admissions information.

  

Who should apply to the Aspire Teacher Residency?

  • Anyone interested in teaching low-income, urban students
  • Individuals interested in a rigorous and supportive teacher residency program
  • College seniors and recent graduates who want to settle in one of Aspire's regions
  • Professionals looking to make a career change to teaching 
  • Any Aspire graduate, staff member, community member or volunteer who is eager to become a teacher at Aspire

  

Application Requirements

To apply to the 2013/14 Aspire Teacher Residency Program, applicants must:

  • Complete a bachelor's degree by the end of June 2013
  • Have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher on the last 60 semester of 90 quarter units earned*
  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident

*Individuals with a GPA below 3.0 may apply, but must include a written explanation of the circumstances that contributed to a lower GPA in order to be considered.

Applicants must submit the following:

1.  Aspire Teacher Residency Program Application (2013/14 program)

2.  Statement of Purpose (Questions can be found on the application)

3.  Three Completed Recommendation Forms

4.  Official College Transcripts (From all universities and community colleges attended)

  

Application Deadlines and Submissions for the 2013/14 Program

Applications for the 2013-14 program are no longer being accepted.  Please fill out the prospective applicant form to stay updated on Aspire Teacher Residency admissions information for the 2014/15 cohort. 

Regular Admissions
Application Deadline: Postmarked by December 7, 2012

Spring Admissions - Round 1
Application Deadline: Postmarked by March 1, 2013

Spring Admissions - Round 2
(ATR - MEMPHIS ONLY)
Application Deadline: Postmarked by April 1, 2013

  

Testing Requirements

All accepted Residents will be required to pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) and California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) by June 1, 2013. 

Memphis Residents must also pass the Praxis II - Elementary Education: Content Knowledge exam by June 1, 2013.

  

Selection Criteria

The Aspire Teacher Residency Program looks for candidates who display the following competencies:

  • Purposefulness - Understands, embraces and consistently takes deliberate action to achieve Aspire's vision and mission. This includes long term goal setting, backwards mapping from the goal(s) and taking steps along the path toward the goal(s).
  • Ownership - Consistently holds self and others accountable for results, actions and decisions.
  • Collaboration - Develops strong relationships with colleagues and works from a "one for all, all for one" premise in order to accomplish more together than what is possible alone.
  • Customer Service - Empathetically understands the needs and desires of the students and the families we serve.
  • Quality - Demonstrates a commitment to excellence and the discipline to continually improve. This includes the habit of reflection and analysis of what worked and what did not work and planning next steps accordingly.
  • Perseverance - Remains committed and actively engaged even when faced with difficult challenges.
  • Communication - Demonstrates capacity to speak and write clearly.
  • Commitment to Teaching as a Lifelong Profession - Believes that learning to teach is a lifelong endeavor worthy of the pursuit.