Become an Urban Teacher Resident
 

Frequently Asked Questions

General Program Questions

 

Financial Questions

 

Application Process and Selection Criteria Questions

 

General Program Questions

What is New Visions for Public Schools?
Founded in 1989, New Visions is the largest education reform organization dedicated to improving the quality of New York City’s public schools. Working with the public and private sectors, New Visions develops programs and policies to energize teaching and learning and to raise the level of student achievement. To learn more about New Visions, visit its homepage.

When does the 2012–2013 program begin and end?
The program will begin on June 1, 2012, and will end at the end in mid August 2013.

What does a resident’s schedule look like?

Visit the Sample Schedule and the Residency Calendar pages.

What is my commitment?
Fourteen months of the residency and then four years of teaching in one of the 76 New York City public schools supported by New Visions.

Where will I teach after my residency year? How will UTR support me during my first year as a teacher?
After successful completion of the program, UTR graduates will teach in one of the 76 New York City public schools supported by New Visions. New Visions will coordinate hiring and placement in schools. During the first postresidency year, UTR graduates will receive school-based mentoring support and ongoing opportunities for professional development and networking with their cohort that continue throughout their first two years.

Where are the UTR host schools?
For 2011-2012, UTR will have 9 host schools, including large schools and small schools, new schools and established schools, and schools with different curricular emphases and organizational structures. They are located across the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn. All are accessible via public transportation.

How will applicants be matched with a school and a mentor?
Accepted residents will have the opportunity to visit host schools and meet the mentors. Residents will list their preferences, mentors and school administrators will list their preferences, and then UTR program staff will match residents to schools and mentors based on their preferences.

Where and when are the graduate school classes held?
Graduate school courses will be held at Hunter College. The monthly Reflective Seminar with residents and mentors will take place at the host school. During both summers, classes will take place most weekdays. During the school year, classes will take place on one weekday during the day and one to two weekday evenings.

What degree will residents earn?
If residents successfully complete all requirements, they will earn a master’s degree in adolescent education or a masters in childhood special education from Hunter College, City University of New York. Residents will also be eligible to apply for New York state certification.

I am an experienced teacher or school administrator who would like to bring UTR to my school. How can I get more information?
If you are interested in being a UTR host school for 2012–2013 or in hiring residency graduates, please contact the program director, Marisa Harford, at mharford@newvisions.org or (646) 486-8157.

How are the mentors selected and trained?
UTR mentors are excellent teachers, identified by their school leaders, who participate and excel in a rigorous selection process that includes classroom observations and feedback to new teacher artifacts. These teachers participate in a 20-hour professional development course prior to becoming UTR mentors and engage in ongoing learning throughout their time as mentors.

Does New Visions have other job openings?
For information about open positions, click here.

Back to Top

Financial Questions

What is the cost of tuition for the program?
During the 14 months of the residency, New Visions pays for the resident’s tuition for the program. After the successful completion of the 14 months of the residency, graduates are asked to pay back $5,500 over the first two years they are full-time teachers.

Does UTR provide health insurance?
Yes. Once the school year begins, residents receive comprehensive health care coverage from the Department of Education and the UFT.

Are residents responsible for any other program costs?
Residents will be responsible for covering the costs of books for their Hunter College courses, registration fees for two state-mandated standardized teacher assessments ($88 each), Department of Education fingerprinting ($110), required DOE child abuse prevention and anti-violence workshops ($75), certification application fees ($100) and the Hunter College application fee ($125).

Will I be eligible for student loans to cover additional living expenses during the residency year?
All residents will be matriculated students at Hunter College and will therefore be eligible for federal student loans. We encourage residents to apply for such loans if they think their living expenses will not be covered by the stipend. See http://www.staffordloan.com/stafford-loan-info/graduate-stafford-loan.php for more information.

When will I start receiving a full teacher’s salary? What is the salary for a first-year teacher with a master’s degree in New York City?
After the successful completion of the 14-month program, UTR residents will begin their first full year of teaching in the fall of 2013 and will receive a starting salary of $54,372 (based on 2008 salary scale).

Back to Top

Application Process and Selection Criteria

How many residents will be accepted into the UTR cohort? In what subject areas?
We will accept a maximum of 48 residents in the areas of biology, mathematics and special education.

What are the minimum qualifications for admission?
Applicants must have a B.A. with a major or concentration in either biology or mathematics to teach in those subject areas. To teach special education, a general liberal arts degree is required. In some cases, UTR accepts students who did not major in a required area but have completed sufficient coursework. Accepted applicants will be asked to take the LAST and CST New York state teacher certification exams in June 2012. Residents are required to pass these two exams before September 2012 to remain in the program. For other admission criteria, please see the Selection Criteria page.

Whom can I contact if I want more information about applying?
For specific questions, contact Nicole Kotch at New Visions for Public Schools at nkotch@newvisions.org or (646) 486-8537.

What is the application timeline?

View Application Timeline here.

Do I need to submit an official transcript?

Yes, after submitting the UTR registration form, please order an official transcript from every university you have attended. Have it sent to:

Urban Teacher Residency
New Visions for Public Schools
320 West 13th Street, 6th Fl.
New York, NY 10014


If I already have a teaching certification and/or a master’s degree in education, should I apply to UTR?
To be eligible for the program, candidates must have fewer than 18 credits of education coursework.

I have experience teaching in environments for which I have not needed a master’s degree or teaching license (e.g., private school). Can I apply to UTR?
Yes. We encourage you to apply for the program if you are interested in moving into a career in urban public education and do not yet have certification or a master’s degree in education.

What can I expect from the application process?
The application process has three steps. First, complete the UTR registration form then order official transcripts from each university you have attended (graduate and undergraduate) sent to:

Urban Teacher Residency
New Visions for Public Schools
320 West 13th Street, 6th Fl.
New York, NY 10014

Then you will be directed to an application Web site for New York City Teaching Fellows.

All candidates for UTR will complete the New York City Teaching Fellows application process, which requires submission of a form, a resume and two essays, plus an interview if invited, although you apply through NYCTF, by filling out the UTR registration form, you ensure you will be considered for UTR. You might receive communication from New York City Teaching Fellows about your application status and to schedule your interview, but throughout the process you are being considered for UTR.

If you have already applied to the New York City Teaching Fellows and now are interested in applying to UTR, you do not need to complete a second application. If you complete the UTR registration form you will be considered for both programs.

Do I need to register for and take the LAST and CST New York state standardized teacher exams? When?
If you are accepted into the program, you will be asked to register for the LAST and CST exams in May and take them in June 2012. If you do not achieve a passing score the first time, you will have one more opportunity to take the exams, in July. Residents are responsible for all test registration fees. Residents must achieve passing scores on both exams to remain enrolled in the program. UTR will provide one free optional test preparation session. See http://www.nystce.nesinc.com/ for more information. If you have taken and passed these tests recently, UTR will accept your scores.

Do I need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to apply?
Yes. All UTR residents must have either U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status (green card) by the time the program begins.

I’ve already applied to a Hunter College graduate program. Does that exclude me from applying to UTR?
No. If you are accepted into UTR and you let us know that you have also applied to a Hunter graduate program, Hunter College will transfer over your application.

Is there any weight given to life experience in admissions decisions?
Yes, we highly value life experience, and studies show that often career changers make some of the best teachers. However, you still must meet the course requirements determined by Hunter College in your subject area (science or math). Some flexibility exists in demonstrating that you have fulfilled the general liberal arts requirements.

Contact New Visions with specific questions.

Back to Top