Montana Teacher Residency Program
Bridging Concepts to Classrooms Throughout the School Year
About the Teacher Residency Program
The Montana Teacher Residency Program is an alternative student teaching opportunity that occurs over an entire school year. Launched in 2022, this innovative initiative is designed to help strengthen future educators in Montana and improve teacher retention by providing students with ample classroom experience under the guidance of an experienced classroom teacher.
The Teacher Residency Program pairs student teachers (Residents) with experienced mentor teachers (Teacher Leaders) for a full year of hands-on experience in a Montana classroom. This extended residency serves as an enhanced version of traditional student teaching, providing more time for learning and growth in a classroom while completing remaining coursework online. The primary goal is to increase teacher retention in Montana by better preparing new teachers for the challenges and rewards of the profession, ultimately benefiting the state’s education system and the students it serves.
Benefits for Residents
The Montana Teacher Residency Program offers several advantages:
- A full school year of immersive classroom experience
- Monthly stipend of $1,400 (before taxes) for 10 months
- Financial support through a last-dollar tuition waiver for the Residency Year
- Housing assistance from the assigned school district
Please note: Housing assistance will vary from district to district
Program Structure and Commitment
Program Structure
The Teacher Residency Program allows you to complete the requirements for student teaching over the course of a full school year allowing for a more comprehensive and in-depth experience. This extended timeline allows Residents to experience the full cycle of a school year, from opening day to end-of-year activities, providing a holistic view of the teaching profession while maintaining dedicated time for learning and academic growth.
- All student teaching requirements are met over the course of the full school year.
- University classes are completed in a flexible format to balance studies with teaching experience.
- Time is split in an 80/20 model:
- 80% of time spent in the classroom, working directly with students and the Teacher Leader
- 20% of time is dedicated to coursework completion outside of the school classroom
Post-Program Commitment
Upon completion of the program, Residents are expected to fulfill the following commitment:
-Teach in a Montana public school district for 3 years within a 5-year window following the Residency Year
This arrangement allows participants to give back to the Montana education system for gaining valuable early-career experience. It’s important to note that if a participant does not complete this obligation, there will be a partial clawback of the funds provided during the Residency Year.
How to Get Involved
We are currently accepting applications for the 2026/27 school year. To be eligible, students must be ready to student teach either Fall 2026 or Spring 2027. Here’s how to get involved:
- Discuss the Montana Teacher Residency Program with your academic advisor
- Complete the Complete the Pre-Application Form
- Submit the form to the Teacher Residency Coordinator
For more information or to submit your form, please contact the Teacher Residency Coordinator using the information provided at the bottom of the page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Residents will receive ten $1,400, pre-taxed, payments during the Residency year, about once a month. The exact schedule will be determined by the Resident’s host district.
Yes, taxes and state and federal deductions will be applied to each payment. Teacher Leaders will also have TRS deductions taken out of their stipend.
Yes, Residents will need to complete the FAFSA for the academic year in which they participate
The tuition grant only covers tuition. Residents are responsible for all other associated course and college fees.
Yes, as long as they have a tuition balance after all other grants and scholarships are applied. They would not be eligible for additional tuition grant support if they do not have a tuition balance.
To participate in the Teacher Residency, districts must commit to providing housing assistance for the Residents, however the amount and type of assistance varies. For example, some Residents already have housing and receive utility support, while other districts pay for fuel for Residents that have housing but must travel. Others may provide housing that the district already own. The goal is to have our Residents incur little to no housing costs during the year.
1.This is what makes rural opportunities viable.
2.The goal is that the Resident is in a full-time pre-service opportunity with the focus on learning, applying, reflecting, adapting, and adjusting so each Resident is prepared on day one as a full-time licensed teacher to enter the classroom with the skills, knowledge, and aptitude to be effective on day one.
No. The Resident will be partnered with a Teacher Leader and essentially will be fulfilling a year-long student teaching model. A Resident cannot be a Teacher of Record in a classroom.
Yes, Residents are expected to teach in a Montana public school district for 3 years within 5 following the completion of the student teaching of the Residency.
Per the agreement the Resident will sign, they will be required to pay back all of the awarded tuition grant, unless there are extenuating circumstances approved by the Teacher Residency advisory team.
The Resident will follow the school district calendar and will participate in the PIR or staff meetings day(s) before the first day of school. They will continue teaching up to the last day of school regardless of the college calendar.
The Resident orientation will be in-person in a centralized location sometime in the beginning to mid-August. Please watch for emails about the dates, which will also be posted to the OPI website.
A Resident can substitute only in their Teacher Leader’s class for up to 5 days a semester. The Resident does not receive payment for substituting
Residency needs to be the primary focus. Working outside of the Residency is not recommended.
The Residency is built on an 80/20 time model wherein the student will be released for 20 percent of the scheduled student teaching to work on classwork.
Yes, there are contracts that will need signatures. Districts, Teacher Leaders, Residents, and universities will be provided this paperwork no later than August.
Additional Information
For more details about this opportunity, please browse the OPI’s webpage for the Montana Teacher Residency Program or contact the Teacher Residency Coordinator:
Kirsten Minnick, Teacher Residency Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (406) 683-7327
The coordinator is available to provide guidance on the program and answer any inquiries about this opportunity.