Being a Resident

Certification

Earning a Maryland Teaching Certificate

All candidates who are accepted into the Baltimore City Teaching Residency by meeting all of the eligibility requirements and successfully completing the Institute Training will be granted a Resident Teacher Certificate (RTC) by the Maryland State Department of Education.

The RTC was created to allow outstanding individuals with no previous education coursework the opportunity to teach while working to achieve a Standard Professional Teaching Certificate (SPC I). Assuming that all coursework is completed on time, all members of the Residency will receive a Standard Professional Teaching Certificate within 1-2 years.

Certification Requirements

All Resident Teachers will enroll in Content Seminars and literacy coursework through the Baltimore City Teaching Residency. The specific requirements are listed below:

• Successful completion of a Content Seminar series aligned with Residents' certification area through the BCTR.
• Grade of B or better in state required literacy coursework.
• Successful year of teaching in assigned content area.
• Passing scores on the Praxis II Pedagogy exam.

* Residents who teach Special Education are also required to take Introduction to Special Education through College of Notre Dame and enroll in two years of content seminars for dual certification.

BCTR Tuition Benefits

One of the benefits of becoming a Resident is enrollment in a subsidized teacher certification program. City Schools covers 50-75% of the costs of tuition. Resident Teachers earning certification are eligible for 75% of their tuition remitted if they hold a Bachelor's degree; Residents with a Master's degree or higher will receive 50% of remittance.

The certification program is tailored to accommodate Residents' schedules, with classes during the evenings (some classes also meet on weekends). Residents proceed through the program in groups, taking classes together and meeting regularly.

By accepting tuition support from the school system, Residents agree to teach for two years after the final semester during which they receive financial support from Baltimore City. If the Resident fails to do so, City Schools has the right to recover all tuition support paid on behalf of the teacher.

Earning a Master’s Degree

Once you have completed your certification requirements (literacy coursework, Content Seminars, Praxis II pedagogy), you will have the option of pursuing a Masters' degree at a local university. The Certification Office provides tuition reimbursement up to 75% for approved courses of study.