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The (SBUSD) and ����ԭ�� excitedly announce a $2.4 million award to launch a new residency program providing tuition funds for students seeking a teaching credential and position in California public schools. Each student will receive a $33,000 stipend for tuition at ����ԭ�� and other living expenses, providing a yearlong, classroom-based pathway to the teaching profession.

The residency places teacher candidates in SBUSD classrooms three days a week for a full academic year. Candidates work alongside experienced mentors while completing graduate coursework at ����ԭ��. Residents will actively support instruction and engage with students and develop their teaching practice.

The initiative aims to diversify the local workforce by recruiting teacher candidates who reflect the backgrounds of the students they serve with a specific focus on multilingual and first-generation college students. By providing tuition stipends to reduce financial barriers, the partnership creates a direct pipeline for local students into Santa Barbara teaching positions. Furthermore, the grant funds mentorship and program development to ensure the initiative’s long-term impact and reach.

"This grant is life-changing for our students and our future educators,” said . “By removing financial barriers for multilingual and first-generation candidates, we are building a workforce that truly reflects our community. We aren't just training teachers; we are ensuring our students see their own potential reflected at the front of every classroom.”

“This investment allows us to grow our own educators and build a stronger, more representative teacher workforce for our schools,” said John Becchio, SBUSD’s assistant superintendent of human resources. “Through this partnership with ����ԭ��, we’re preparing teachers who are deeply connected to the community and ready to serve our students.”

“Effective teachers develop through practice and strong mentorship,” said Sally Hawkins, assistant professor of education at ����ԭ��. “This residency places candidates in classrooms from the start, allowing them to learn the craft of teaching while contributing meaningfully to local schools.”

“It's powerful for students to see themselves in their teachers, who may have attended the same elementary, junior high or high school they do,” Becchio says.

The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing awarded the four-year grant through the Teacher Residency Implementation and Expansion Grant Program, the final round of state funding for residency programs.

With funding secured, SBUSD and ����ԭ�� will begin implementing the program, including recruiting the first cohort of residents for fall 2026, developing mentor teachers and coordinating clinical placements.

Apply today before the deadline of June 10.

For more information, visit westmont.edu/teach.

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