Arizona Teacher Residency Program
A year of practice. A career of impact.
If you want to change the direction of your life, while impacting the lives of young people, this is your chance. The Arizona Teacher Residency is a master's-level teacher preparation and teacher certification program designed for college graduates and career changers who want to become highly effective, lifelong educators.
Modeled after medical residencies, this program incorporates the most important features of teacher residencies and registered teacher apprenticeships.
High-quality teacher education and certification coursework
This program begins with hybrid summer courses that include a one-week, in-person summer institute in Flagstaff, AZ. In-person coursework throughout the school year is held in Phoenix. Coursework revolves around the residents’ classroom experience, both in the apprenticeship and teacher-of-record years, and leads to a master’s degree through NAU (either in elementary education or special education). Assignments are hands-on and directly relevant to daily work of teaching.
Throughout coursework, we intentionally integrate the ITASC standards for teaching and a series of high-leverage practices developed in partnership with our district partners (highlighted in the figure below). Residents graduate from AZTR having learned the foundational knowledge, skills, and dispositions to become a knowledgable, creative, and caring professional educator.
High Leverage Practices
Coursework revolves around high leverage practices and aligns with fieldwork to prepare you to become a professional educator.
- Teach from standards and objectives
- Create strong student engagement
- Maintain high expectations (assets-based thinking)
- Create a positive classroom environment
- Build relationships with students and families
- Use assessments to guide instruction
- Accommodate instruction for student needs
Classroom apprenticeship
The Arizona Teacher Residency is one of the first registered teacher apprenticeship programs in the state of Arizona, sponsored by the Arizona Department of Education. As a result, we center the intentional learning and development of new educators. After summer coursework, residents begin their first year as a registered teacher apprentice under the guidance of a Supervising Teacher in a partnering school. During this journey, residents slowly ramp up their instructional responsibilities before becoming the teacher of record in their second year.
Year 1: classroom apprenticeship
Under the guidance of a Supervising Teacher, residents follow a year-long schedule to becoming the teacher of record in their second year.
- Shadowing and Assisting (August)
- Assisting and Co-teaching (September to December)
- Co-teaching (September to December)
- Lead teaching (January to March)
- Co-teaching (April to May)
- Residency complete
Ongoing professional learning through the Arizona K12 Center
Residents receive two years of induction support once they become teachers of record, have access to continuing professional learning, and receive support to pursue National Board Certification if they are interested.
Ongoing professional learning through the Arizona K12 Center
Once a resident become teacher of record, they receive two years of induction support and have access to continuing professional learning.
Aspiring teacher (growth)
- Fueled for Success events
- Arizona Teacher Residency
New teacher (support)
- Comprehensive mentoring and induction
- Arizona New Teacher Induction Network
National board (guidance)
- Fee assistance
- Comprehensive candidate support
Teacher leader (development)
- Teacher solutions team
- Instruction mentor/coach development
Get into teaching and stay out of debt.
AZTR is an Arizona Teacher’s Academy eligible program, which means most residents can earn their master’s degree and teacher certification without having to pay any tuition.* All elementary residents will also receive a living stipend and healthcare through the program during the first year apprenticeship. Meanwhile, special education residents will be employed by districts as paraprofessionals under the support of a skilled supervising teacher in their first year apprenticeship. In their second year, all residents will become teachers of record with a full salary. Our graduates walk away with a master’s degree, a teaching certificate, and a job—all without having to take on extensive student debt. In exchange, residents commit to serving in the partner district where they apprenticed for a minimum of three years after their first year. (Residents must interview for and retain their own positions within districts.)
Arizona Teacher Residency 4-year schedule
Year 1
- Teacher apprenticeship
- Paired with supervising teacher
- Apply for alternative teaching credential
Year 2
- Teacher of record
- Induction support: observation, feedback and coaching
- Receive Master’s degree
- Apply for full teaching credential
Year 3
- Teacher of record
- Induction support: observation, feedback and coaching
- National board pre-candidacy encouraged
- Resident’s continued commitment at partnering district
Year 4
- Teacher of record
- National board pre-candidacy encouraged
- Resident’s continued commitment at partnering district
- Eligible to serve as a Supervising Teacher for a new AZTR resident
Recent grad? Looking to change careers?
Prepare for a profession in teaching without going into debt.
The only program in Arizona that is affiliated with the National Center for Teacher Residencies.
The Arizona Teacher Residency program is the only teacher residency program in the state that has been developed with the support of the National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR). NCTR is the gold standard for teacher residencies and upholds a series of standards and expectations for residency programs that ensure the best possible outcomes for residents and their students. Learn more about the impact of teacher residencies.
Frequently Asked Questions: About the Program
Here are some of our most common questions related to the Teacher Residency Program. For a full list of Frequently Asked Questions, please visit our FAQ page.
The Arizona Teacher Residency is one of Arizona's most comprehensive teacher preparation and certification programs. Unlike traditional pathways, AZTR is intentionally designed to help aspiring educators become highly effective, well-supported teachers who remain in the profession and make a lasting impact on students and communities.
- Year-long clinical apprenticeship. Residents spend an entire school year apprenticing alongside an accomplished Supervising Teacher, gradually assuming instructional responsibility while receiving ongoing coaching, feedback, and support before becoming a teacher of record.
- Integrated master's degree and teacher certification. Residents earn a master's degree through Northern Arizona University while completing a rigorous teacher education program that directly connects coursework to their daily classroom experience.
- Financial and professional support. Through tuition assistance, living stipends, healthcare benefits, expert mentorship, and ongoing professional learning, residents receive the support needed to focus on developing their practice instead of accumulating debt.
- Preparation centered on the human side of learning. Residents learn how to build meaningful relationships with students, create inclusive learning environments, connect with parents and families, and deliver instruction that responds to the strengths and needs of every learner.
- Long-term career development. Support does not end when residents become teachers. Graduates receive two years of induction support and ongoing opportunities to pursue advanced credentials such as National Board Certification.
- A commitment to Arizona schools. Residents commit to teaching in partner districts after completing the residency, helping strengthen local schools and expanding access to highly prepared educators across Arizona.
Here are the criteria for application eligibility:
- A bachelor’s degree in any concentration before June
- Does not already have a standard Arizona Elementary Education K-8 Teaching Certificate (unless pursuing special education pathway)
- Eligible for employment to work in Arizona schools
- (i.e. eligible to work in the U.S., must attain Fingerprint Clearance Card)
- Eligible for FAFSA for Arizona Teachers Academy tuition coverage
- (U.S. Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident, Asylee, etc.)
- Eligible for AmeriCorps living stipend
- (U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien)
Email us! We are always open to partnering with others. AZTR@aztr.org
You are eligible to apply for ATA scholarship if you are:
- Admitted to NAU as an in-state or out-of-state student,
- Enrolled in an NAU ATA eligible degree program such as the degree program(s) offered through the Arizona Teacher Residency,
- Eligible for and have a current FAFSA on file with NAU’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA),
- Willing to commit to the ATA teaching service commitment (for Arizona Teacher Residency participants, this will include two years of teaching in an Arizona public district, public charter, or Bureau of Indian Education school after you complete the two-year eligible degree program)
