Focusing on two partner districts’ needs for TK/K, SPED, and BIPOC educators, NBECSR will design a Teacher Residency Program that increases and diversifies the pool of well-qualified teachers by (1) building the capacity of the districts and SSU to plan a successful Teacher Residency that incorporates pre-service teachers in grades TK-5 and (2) recruiting and retaining high-quality local teacher candidates who reflect the demographics of local students.

To meet the demand for bilingual teachers that represent their diverse communities and special education (SPED) teachers in California public schools, Petaluma City Schools, Old Adobe Unified School District, and South County Consortium in partnership with Sonoma State University’s (SSU) School of Education (SOE), will develop a collaborative partnership, the Petaluma Regional Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Residency (PRDEIR).

To meet the increasing demand for bilingual teachers in California public schools, Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) and Santa Rosa City Schools (SRCS), in partnership with Sonoma State University’s (SSU) School of Education (SOE), will expand the existing North Bay Bilingual Teacher Residency Program (NBBTRP) to include future bilingual teachers of grades tk-12.

Sonoma State University's Teacher Residency Programs are committed to cultivating outstanding educators deeply rooted in our community, with a focus on promoting educational equity. This commitment is realized through a comprehensive, high-quality teacher residency program that incorporates expert, long-term mentoring, relevant coursework integrated into clinical practice, and mandatory professional development events for both resident and mentor teachers. 

SSU will train 6 students as "Reading Rescue Tutors". These students will be tutoring elementary-aged children in local elementary schools. Tutors will enroll in EDUC 295 and receive 1 unit credit for 45 hours of in-person tutoring. They will also be paid for the 10 hours of tutor training. This project is being support by the Benedict Silverman Foundation (BSF) who will provide funding for faculty time, tutor training, travel/mileage, supplies, etc.

The award is for the Create an Integrated Teacher Preparation Program for the PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Program (ITPP-PK3). This grant will pay for faculty and staff time to prepare all documentation and materials needed for CSU and California Commission on Teacher Credentialing approval of the ITPP-PK3, faculty time for professional development with local teachers, and compensation of personnel from school districts, Santa Rosa Junior College, and the Sonoma County Office of Education for consultation on the design of the program.

BCAIP will bring together content area and bilingual authorization preservice teachers, their mentors, content method and language/literacy university educators, and families in solidarity to strengthen teacher preparation for emergent bilingual learning through coursework, field experience, culturally and linguistically sustaining mentorship, and a language and literacies learning lab that all integrate biliteracy with content area learning.

To meet the increasing demand for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) teachers in California public schools, Petaluma City Schools (PCS) and Santa Rosa City Schools (SRCS), in partnership with Sonoma State University's (SSU) School of Education (SOE) will develop a collaborative partnership, called the North Bay STEM Teacher Residency Program (NBSTEM).

To meet the increasing demand for bilingual teachers in California public schools, NVUSD and SRCS, in partnership with SSU's School of Education, will expand the existing NBTR Consortium to include multiple- and multiple plus single-subject credentials (both w/added bilingual authorization) to support the growth of dual language TK-8 programs in both districts.

California has adopted Dyslexia Guidelines for future teachers. These must be incorporated into each basic credential program (education specialist, multiple subject, single subject). The legislature has made funding available so that teacher education programs can align their coursework with the guidelines (AB 128). Course revision and program revision to include pedagogy related to literacy and dyslexia may result from this work.