Search:








 
 

Program Overview

Why become a NYC Teaching Fellow?

 In the words of a Fellow...
"Teaching in a high-need school for me is about wanting to give back. I want to give these kids the advantages they otherwise would not get automatically." -Julie, 2003 Fellow



Our Purpose
Because effective teachers dramatically increase their students’ academic success, the NYC Teaching Fellows program recruits and prepares high-quality, dedicated individuals to become teachers who raise student achievement in the New York City classrooms that need them most.

Who Are Teaching Fellows?
NYC Teaching Fellows are high-achieving, driven individuals from different backgrounds and careers who are using their diverse experiences, knowledge, and achievements to positively affect the lives of students. From over 150,000 applicants over the past ten years, NYCTF has provided New York City classrooms with over 13,500 high-quality teachers.


Participation in the Fellowship does not require teaching experience or previous education coursework. The program is designed specifically to provide Fellows with the necessary training, coursework, and resources that will enable them to succeed as teachers in the NYC public schools.

Application and Admissions
The first step toward becoming a Fellow is completing the online application. Learn more about our application process.


NYCTF is highly selective. Our June 2009 program was the most competitive in recent history and significantly smaller than previous years. Overall, fewer than one in ten applicants became a Fellow. We expect June 2010 to be similar in size and selectivity. While the size and subject composition of the June 2010 program are still to be determined, applications are reviewed and interviews are granted on a rolling basis.

Training
Once accepted into the program, all Fellows go through a short, but intensive, pre-service training, part of which includes a hands-on teaching experience in a New York City classroom. Upon successful completion of training, Fellows are eligible to be hired almost immediately in one of the more than 1,400 public schools in NYC. Learn more about NYCTF’s pre-service training.

Subsidized Master’s Degree
One of the key elements of the Fellowship is enrollment in a subsidized Master’s degree program. While teaching, each Fellow works toward a subsidized Master's degree in education, specializing in the subject s/he teaches, at a university that has partnered with the Teaching Fellows program. The Master's program takes two to three years to complete; the duration varies depending on a Fellow's subject area and specific university requirements. Each Fellow is responsible for some portion of the Master’s degree tuition, and the amount will be deducted over time from the Fellow’s regular paycheck. (June 2009 Fellows are responsible for $6,600; the amount for June 2010 has not yet been finalized.) Learn more about the subsidized Master’s degree.
 

Teaching Position
Fellows find their own school-level teaching positions to ensure a good match for both the Fellow and the school. To support Fellows in their job search, NYCTF provides online tools and resources and connects Fellows to job fairs and smaller school-based interview events.

Although NYCTF does not assign Fellows to individual schools, each Fellow is assigned a subject area and a borough within which s/he will look for a school-level position. The Teaching Fellows program takes candidates' subject area and borough preferences into consideration; however, assignments are driven primarily by school needs and by each Fellow's eligibility. Most Fellows are assigned to the Bronx and Brooklyn. All Fellows must be prepared to teach wherever they are needed most. Learn more about teaching in NYC.

What Fellows Teach
NYCTF is especially dedicated to recruiting applicants eligible for and interested in teaching one of our high-need subject areas, especially science and special education. Admission for a given subject area will depend on the applicant’s background and the anticipated needs of the schools.

Most Fellows who begin training in June 2010 will train to teach special education. Because there is also an acute need for qualified science teachers, some candidates in our June 2010 program may be eligible for our Science Immersion program, a special initiative that helps individuals with science-related backgrounds gain the credits they need to teach science in the New York City public schools. If you were a science major, you do not need to participate in Immersion in order to qualify to teach science.

A similar initiative is available for candidates in our June 2010 program with a math-related background to help qualified individuals gain the credits they need to teach math in NYC. Learn more about our Math Immersion program.
 

Salary and Benefits
A Fellow earns the same salary and benefits as other New York City teachers once s/he begins teaching in a regular school-level teaching position. Currently, the starting salary for first-year teachers with only a Bachelor's degree is $45,530. Conditional upon funding and grant approval, Fellows may also be eligible for AmeriCorps Education Awards.

Testing Requirements
In order to meet New York State teaching certification requirements, each Fellow must pass both the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST) and the appropriate Content Specialty Test (CST) before s/he can begin teaching. Upon acceptance, NYCTF will instruct Fellow about which CST to take. Each Fellow is responsible for the cost of the exams. Please note that candidates are not required to take the exams in order to apply for the program. More information about testing is available at http://www.nystce.nesinc.com

Ready to Get Started? Click here to read about how our application process works.