ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Rochester City School District announced Wednesday they have received a $1.1 million grant that will help advance their teacher training and retention improvement program.

According to RCSD, the ROC Urban Teaching Fellows Program was launched in September of 2022, and offers hands-on classroom experience, employment, and mentorship to aspiring educators.

The grant, which comes from the New York State Department of Labor’s Teacher Residency Program, will cover a portion of tuition and living expenses for a number of fellows at the University of Rochester, and Nazareth College, who are enrolled in the program for years to come.

Students in the program receive a competitive salary, RCSD said, with benefits and assistance with their college tuition. The fellows then work full time in RCSD classrooms during the first year with experienced teachers.

During their in-classroom experience, the fellows pursue a master’s degree in order to receive an initial NYS teacher certification.

Following the first year of training, ROC Urban Training offers fellows employment in classroom within RCSD.

According to RCSD, six teachers completed the program during its first year. Those interested in participating in the program must first apply to Nazareth, UofR, or NYU’s graduate teaching programs. Then, students must go through a selection process for the fellow program.

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