Chattanooga, TN - Public Education Foundation was recently awarded an $185,759 grant from AmeriCorps, through Volunteer Tennessee, to support training and stipends for participants in Hamilton County and Knox County teacher residency programs.

Awarded for the third consecutive year, this grant will support residents participating in the TEACH/Here and Project Inspire teacher residency programs.

Residents are recent college graduates or mid-career professionals who specialized in math- or science-related fields and have become interested in teaching.

Similar to a medical residency program that provides "on-the-job training" for doctors, residents will work in a mentoring relationship with a master teacher for one year, where they will work side-by-side with the master teacher in the classroom four days per week. On the fifth day, residents will take classes to earn both a master's degree and a teaching certificate by the end of the year.

"Graduates of our residency programs will provide outstanding math and science instruction to students in Hamilton County schools, especially in disadvantaged communities," says PEF Residency Project Leader Cheri Dedmon. "Their commitment fits well with the national service mission of AmeriCorps, and it is a huge benefit to us that AmeriCorps has agreed to help  with funding."

Residents will log at least 1,700 volunteer hours in schools assisting their mentor teachers, and will complete a service learning project by the end of their training. Residents are not salaried, but receive a small living stipend as part of their service. In exchange, residents agree to work for at least four more years to repay the cost of their training and education.

Entering the third year of operation, a total of 28 graduates of the residency programs are currently teaching in 17 schools across the two districts, with the newest cohort of residents partnering alongside 14 highly successful and experienced mentor teachers in 7 schools in both districts.

For more information on teacher residency, visit pefchattanooga.orgPEF Gets Grant for Teacher Residency Program