FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Residency
What is the Avance teacher residency model?
A teacher residency allows students to obtain their preliminary teaching credential in 1 year. It is university coursework combined with working in a classroom alongside a mentor teacher as a paid employee of the school. Avance's teacher residency model is a combination of online evening courses with LMU, three days a week working in a classroom with a mentor teacher, one day a week subbing at their school of employment, and one seminar day with the Avance cohort of residents. Avance Residency Los Angeles is a cohort model combined with mentorship, coaching, and hands on experience to ensure its teachers are prepared for their first day in their own classrooms.
Why should I choose the teaching residency?
You will be able to learn to teach in a supportive, inclusive environment that allows you to build the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to be an effective teacher.
You will have a strong, supportive network through the residency that includes the following: cohort of residents, mentor teacher, university advisor and the Avance Residency team.
You will be paired with an experienced mentor teacher who you will observe, co-teach alongside of, and receive coaching/feedback from.
You are a paid employee of the schools while obtaining your teaching credential.
Research shows that teaching residencies better prepare teachers for their own classrooms.
How is the resident teaching year different from student teaching?
In a student teaching model, potential teachers take classes separate from a classroom before getting placed with a mentor. A residency has residents collaborating with a mentor in a real classroom from day one and throughout the entire school year.
Residencies are a 1-year program for the preliminary teaching credential, a traditional program with student teaching ranges from 1.5-2 years.
Residents get paid; student teachers do not. Avance residents will be classified as employees of the school they are placed at.
Can I get a Master’s degree in this residency program and how much will it cost/how long will it take?
Yes. A majority of your courses during the residency year will count towards a Master of Arts degree in Education. You can complete the MA degree in one academic year after the residency year.
Just like the residency program, LMU will commit to providing a substantial scholarship for the MA degree. You can also apply for additional scholarships and grants through LMU as well as the FAFSA.
Financial
How much do I make?
The full compensation package received by an Avance resident is $48,200 for the residency year. Compensation specifics are dependent upon each organization. Please reach out to the organization you aim to join for the residency to see the breakdown of the hourly rate, retirement, and stipends that will be received in the residency year.
Camino Nuevo Charter Academy
Sarah Tapia-Pruett, Teacher Residency Coach
sarah.tapia-pruett@caminonuevo.org
STEM Preparatory Schools
Lisa Marcelino, Senior Director of Staff Development
Para Los Niños
Jonathan López, Managing Director
jolopez@paralosninos.org
How much is tuition?
The total cost of a Multiple Subject or Single Subject Credential at Loyola Marymount University is $32,229, and for a credential in Special Education, the total cost of tuition is $39,724. Avance Residency has worked to reduce the total cost to the resident.
What financial aid is offered?
The LMU SOE Scholarship and Avance Tuition Contribution are guaranteed financial assistance. Candidates should also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and then submit it to LMU. For more information about financial aid through LMU, please visit the website for the University's Office of Financial Services.
What additional scholarships and grants are available?
Avance does not offer any other scholarships or grants, but you can apply through LMU for additional scholarships and grants. Currently, there is the Golden State Teacher Grant Program that Residents can apply for once they are enrolled and working towards their professional preparation program.
Employment/Benefits
What benefits am I offered?
All residents have the option to participate in LMU’s health care program at an annual cost of $2,650. Individual residents may also have the option of opting into the school’s health care benefits.
In addition to health care, you will have the same benefits as full-time employees at your school, including retirement and sick leave.
What happens after completion of the Residency Program?
After successfully completing your residency year and meeting program requirements, you are given priority hiring for a teaching position at one of the schools in the Avance network.
What if I am unable to commit to 4+years of teaching with the organization?
Research shows that students benefit from having consistent teachers in the classroom. The goal of our program is for you to become a full-time teacher and teach for at least four years. While we hope that you will commit to 4+ years at your placement school, we understand that sometimes life circumstances prevent you from completing your commitment. In this case, we can support you with finding a placement at another Avance school. If you are unable to complete your 4 years of service as a full-time teacher in the Avance network, then we will not be able to reimburse your tuition.
Fit/Experience
What are the responsibilities of the Resident?
You’re a student and a resident. As a student, you’ll participate in online courses during after-school hours for 12 months. As a developing educator, you will be at the school-site four days a week working and learning alongside your mentor teacher in the classroom, with the possibility of one of those days dedicated to substitute teaching at your school-site. As a resident, you will also engage in seminar learning with your cohort at least once a week.
What if I am unable to complete the coursework within the Residency Year?
If you are unable to complete the coursework during the Residency Year, you can able to continue doing the work the following year, but will not receive tuition contributions from Avance Residency Los Angeles.