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 conducted online 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 2025/26 school year. To be eligible, students must be ready to student teach either Fall 2025 or Spring 2026. Here’s how to get involved:

Discuss the Montana Teacher Residency Program with your academic advisor
Complete the Resident & EPP Participation 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

What is the payment schedule for the Resident stipend?

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 university.

Will taxes be applied to the Resident and Teacher Leader stipends?

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.

Do Residents need to complete a FAFSA?

Yes, Residents will need to complete the FAFSA for the 2024-2025 academic year.

What does the last-dollar tuition grant cover?

The tuition grant only covers tuition. Residents are responsible for all other associated course and college fees.

Will every Resident receive tuition grants?

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.

How are housing costs being paid?

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.

Is the Resident co-teaching with another teacher or filling an open teaching position?

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.

Does the Resident need to teach in Montana after the Residency Year?

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.

What happens if the Resident does not complete the three-year post Residency commitment of teaching in MT?

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.

What calendar will the Resident follow, the college calendar, or the school district calendar at the location of their Residency?

The Resident will follow the school district calendar and will report the first PIR day. They will continue teaching up to the last day of school regardless of the college calendar.

When will the Resident begin orientation?

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.

Can a Resident substitute?

A Resident can substitute only in their Teacher Leader’s class for up to 5 days a semester. The Resident does notreceive payment for substituting

Can a Resident keep a job while in the Residency?

Residency needs to be the primary focus. Working outside of the Residency is not recommended.

Is a Resident provided with release time to complete course work?

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.

Is there signed paperwork that will need to be completed by the different parties? If so, when should we expect to see that paperwork?

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:

OPI Montana Teacher Residency Program

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.

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