Why The SUTR and Freedom School Collaboration Strengthens Your Community

By Danielle Ferguson, Wouang Lao, and Faaria Epstein

Since 2016, Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) and the University of St Thomas have partnered to create and sustain the St. Paul Urban Teacher Residency (SUTR).  Participants are recruited from local communities to learn how to be special education or elementary teachers for SPPS. SPPS and St Thomas begin recruiting for cohorts in the fall and host interviews in early spring. Residents are selected and start the teacher preparation program in May and complete their teaching license and master’s degree 14 months later.  An important component of the SUTR program is the experience residents gain by teaching and working in school communities alongside licensed mentor teachers.  

This past summer SUTR cohort 9 teachers, known as Residents, launched an immersive teaching experience with the SPPS district Freedom School Program. Freedom School offers a free, research-based educational and cultural six-week summer program for scholars currently in grades K-8.   Residents joined Freedom School leaders and staff in professional development, which included the Harambee Bootcamp and a full day of teacher development.  Partnering with a Servant Leader Intern (SLI), the residents co-planned, and co-led instruction in the morning and then completed coursework that aligns with their experiences at Freedom School at the University of St. Thomas campus in the afternoon.

The SUTR Program and Freedom Schools share a commitment to developing future educators and leaders who reflect the communities of the Saint Paul Public School student population. The summer immersion program provided an opportunity for residents to experience a culturally rich and affirmative educational environment right from the start of their teacher preparation program.  

Freedom School’s mission integrates reading, conflict resolution, and social action within an activity-based curriculum designed to enhance social, cultural, and historical awareness. Participants benefit from enriching group activities, including field trips and access to culturally affirming materials, all led by a well-prepared and compassionate staff. The program emphasizes literacy, math, leadership development, and college and career readiness.

Graduates from SUTR fostered a collaboration between SUTR and Freedom School. Graduates of the SUTR program recommended that all residents experience Freedom Schools to anchor/launch their teacher preparation program experiences. Graduates of SUTR and Freedom Schools actively advocate and use culturally responsive instructional practices. Teachers understand that recognizing and valuing students’ diverse cultural backgrounds is essential for fostering engagement and academic success. By drawing on their real time observations, SUTR graduates create learning experiences that resonate with students’ lived experiences, helping them see themselves reflected in the curriculum.

The partnership between SUTR and Freedom School embodies a shared mission to build an inclusive and equitable educational environment for all students. This collaboration emphasizes strong relationships with families and the broader community, ensuring that education remains relevant and meaningful.

According to Duane Dutrielle, Principal at Hazel Park Preparatory Academy, “Building a culture of collaboration and a climate of school continuous improvement with the foundation of Culturally Responsive Instruction is critical for new educators. The SUTR program and CDF Freedom School experience are the catalysts in developing these new educators. I hope that this partnership will continue for years to come. Our students and families are counting on it.”

Rev. Dr. Darcel Hill, Executive Director/ CDF Freedom Schools Summer Program K-8, shares “The partnership with Saint Paul Public Schools Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools, SUTR Cohort 9, and the University of Saint Thomas during the summer 2024 was exciting and successful. We worked collaboratively together using researched-based best educational practices and culturally responsive methods to improve the experiences of our scholars, and amazing educators who taught, planned together, and believed that we can indeed “Make a Difference” by strengthening the connection with each other, our scholars/participants, community involvement, and family empowerment.”

SUTR launched in 2015 and is currently recruiting for its tenth cohort of teacher residents. SUTR is open to anyone who has a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, is passionate about education and making a difference in the lives of SPPS students, and is interested in any of the following: Elementary Education(K-6) or Special Education Academic Behavior Strategist (ABS) (K-12) license.

Virtual information sessions are hosted once a month via zoom and twice a month for January and February for individuals interested in learning more about the program. Additional information can be found at https://www.spps.org/SUTR. Please make sure to complete the linked Inquiry Form in order to receive the Zoom link for the virtual session.

Application deadline for Cohort 10 is February 7, 2025!

Key Benefits of SUTR
● Become a teacher in SPPS (the second-largest school district in Minnesota)
● Earn a master’s degree & Minnesota Tier 3 Teaching License* (* K-6 Elementary Education, K-12 Special Education Academic Behavioral Strategist (ABS)
● Health benefits (single dental and medical coverage at no additional cost)
● Up to $30,000 stipend while co-teaching
● $1,000 book stipend
● $20,000 towards tuition cost
● Various scholarship and grant opportunities to assist with tuition cost
● Increase earning potential as a first-year teacher
● Receive preferential hiring from SPPS after completion
● Induction support for residents during and for Graduates after completion of the program

The National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR) (2023) reports, “Teacher residencies continue to prepare effective teachers who stay in the classroom. Principals, teacher residents, and teacher residency graduates that were surveyed indicate that NCTR Network teacher residency programs effectively prepare teacher residents for their roles in the classroom in addition to preparing them to stay in the field graduation, especially at a time when it is critical to not only recruit, but also retain effective, diverse, and culturally responsive educators”.

Additionally, the SPPS undergraduate Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teaching is currently in a 1-year development phase supported through an MDE sponsored Teacher Residencies and Apprenticeships Planning Grant. This pathway towards a bachelor’s degree and teaching license is not yet approved. A broad range of interest holders from St. Paul Public Schools & University of St. Thomas are engaged in co-constructing this pathway through collaborative and equitable program design, curriculum and recruitment/retention committee work.

Criteria for Application: Pilot cohort will be open to individuals employed by SPPS who already hold an Associates of Arts Degree (AA) and/or who have completed the MN Transfer Curriculum.

Projected Application Window: Projected application window for pilot cohort will be February-March 2025.

Projected Start Date: June 2025. 

Licenses Offered: Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education Academic & Behavior Strategist (ABS) K-12

Apprenticeship Programs for Teaching are new to Minnesota and are proving to be an effective employer-driven educator workforce initiative in other states. Learn more about this national movement at apprenticeship.gov/educators.

The SPPS Human Resources Educator Development Team is proud to expanding the pathways that aim to prepare, support and retain highly qualified, racially and culturally diverse teachers for Saint Paul Public Schools by removing barriers to becoming an educator such as tuition support, living stipend, health benefits, and additional support to help educators thrive in St.Paul Public Schools.

SPPS Undergraduate Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teaching flier

SPPS Undergraduate Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teaching Landing Page

References
NCTR. (2023). Nctr annual report 2022-2023. https://nctresidencies.org/resource/nctr-annual-report-2022-2023/

About Saint Paul Public Schools
Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) serves the diverse community of Saint Paul and some surrounding communities. The SPPS mission is to inspire students to think critically, pursue their dream and change the world. SPPS employs over 6,000 employees who serve at 70 schools/programs across the district. The student body is diverse, with 79% of students identifying as a race other than white and speaking over 125 languages. The district’s four-year comprehensive graduation rate is approximately 78.3%.

About the University of St. Thomas
The University of St. Thomas is Minnesota’s largest private university with 10,000 students from 50 states and 63 countries. The University of St. Thomas offers more than 100 undergraduate majors and 60 graduate programs. The School of Education at St. Thomas prepares Minnesota’s teachers and education leaders in 40 licensure areas. 92% of graduates of the University of St. Thomas College of Education who intend to enter the field of teaching pass all the applicable state qualification assessments for new teachers, including content area. That pass rate ranks the University of St. Thomas in the top three highest-performing teacher preparation programs in the state.