FAQs

What is LAUTR?
The Los Angeles Urban Teacher Residency (LAUTR) is an intensive credential and master’s program designed to equip future teachers to close the achievement gap in urban classrooms in Los Angeles through excellence, equity and innovation. 

How long is the program?
The program is 18 to 24 months long. You begin with a 12-month residency, during which time you take classes at California State University Los Angeles (CSULA) while working alongside a mentor teacher in his/her classroom for the full academic year.  After you become a teacher of record, you have additional 6 to 12 months to complete all requirements for a master's degree in Integrated STEM Education. Subsequently, you commit to teach for three years in a high-need public school.  For the first two of those three years, LAUTR will continue to support you to clear your credential.

When does the program start?
Cohort 7 will begin the LAUTR program in June 2016.  

When and how do I apply?
First, please attend an information session so we can get a chance to meet you, explain our program, and answer any questions you might have. RSVP using the online form.
The second step is to complete the online LAUTR form to collect basic information about your educational and professional background and your reasons for wanting to teach. There are three application deadlines for this first step; Early Admissions: October 26, 2015; Regular Admissions: January 4, 2016 and Late Admissions: February 15, 2016. We will review these applications and invite the most promising candidates to an LAUTR Candidates Showcase & Selection Day.
Next, you will apply to the Charter College of Education (CCOE, submitted in person with supporting documentation to the Office of Student Services, King Hall, Room D2078) for the Summer quarter of 2016 and to CSU online. Both applications are due in April 2016 (date, TBA; all passing scores of CBEST & CSETs must be received by CSULA no later than 4/15/2016). Make sure you keep copies of everything you submit!

Review the list of required documentation to apply to CSULA and begin collecting these documents as soon as possible.  Please note that some of these items, such as the Certificate of Clearance (getting your fingerprints taken at a LiveScan facility and submitting the form to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing [CTC]) and letters of recommendation, may take several weeks or months to acquire.

What exams are required for the program? 
All applicants should take the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST).  You must pass all three subsections – reading, math, and writing – and passing scores are valid indefinitely.  A writing score of 41 or above will exempt you from the Writing Proficiency Exam, required of all graduate students who have not attended a CSU as an undergraduate.

Next, you will need to take the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) for the subject(s) you wish to teach. The requirements for the three credential strands are as follows:

-Special Education Candidates

  • Elementary level (Pathway Coming 2017) - CSET Multiple-subject I, II, & III
  • Secondary level - CSET I & II in Math or Science (CSET III is recommended, not required)                     

- Single-subject Candidates: CSET I, II, & III in Math or Science   

If you have completed a CTC-approved subject matter preparation program, such as a Bachelor’s degree in Math or Science from an accredited university, you may qualify for a waiver for the CSET exams.  Please contact the CCOE Student Services Office at 323-343-4342 for more details about the waiver application process.

Please register for, study for, and take the CSET exams as soon as possible. You have five hours to complete the test(s), regardless of how many subtests you choose to take at one sitting. You will need to have attempted the CBEST and registed for CSET I to be eligible for the selection process. Passing scores of all of the exams must be received by CSULA no later than 4/15/2016.

How much does the program cost?
You will be responsible for the testing and application fees, as well as the tuition, fees, and books for each quarter of enrollment at CSULA.  Please review the CSULA Cost of Attendance information.

How much is the living stipend?
The grant provides residents with a living stipend of $25,000, paid in installments, during the 12-month residency.  This is designed so you can do the residency full-time.  If you do not fulfill your commitment to teach for three years following the residency, you must pay back all or part of this stipend.

Can I get financial aid?
Depending on your income, you may qualify for financial aid (loans, grants, and/or scholarships).  You must complete the online FAFSA application before the published deadlines in order to be eligible.  Some programs that benefit teachers are the TEACH grant snd the Robert Noyce Scholarship for math and science. To otain more information about Financial Aid at CSULA go to http://www.calstatela.edu/univ/finaid/.

Can I transfer classes into or out of the LAUTR program?
No. Our program is designed as a comprehensive Master’s and credential program, satisfying all state, university, and CTC requirements. Classes cannot be transferred into our program, nor can our classes be transferred to another program.

My degree isn’t in math or science, but I want to teach one of these subjects. Can I still apply?
Although you need to have a bachelor’s degree, it does not need to be specifically in math or science. However, our program requires that you have the equivalent knowledge by passing the CSET's as stated above. 

I have been working in another field, but am interested in becoming a teacher.
Great! Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions. We welcome applications from career changers. If you are unsure if teaching is the career for you, you may want to consider applying to EnCorps, an organization designed to transition STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) professionals into the classroom.

I cannot attend an in-person information session.
We offer Online Information Session as well as multiple in-person sessions during the recruitment period. Please contact Yvonne Ribas at [email protected] if you encounter problem attending an information session.

I live in another city/state/country.
Our training and subsequent placement takes place at schools in Los Angeles and Cal State University Los Angeles, so you should live close enough to commute comfortably to these locations or be willing to relocate.

If you live out-of-state and move to California, please be advised that you will have to pay out-of-state tuition at CSULA until you establish residency (one year of living in CA).

Additionally, if you do not live in California, it may be difficult to take the CBEST and CSET exams, as they are primarily offered within the state.  Please see their websites for testing locations and dates.
Qualified candidates are invited to Selection Day, during which time raters judge their potential as future teachers.  Attending one of these selection days in person is mandatory for any candidates who wish to proceed in the selection process.

What is Candidates Showcase & Selection Day?
After submitting your LAUTR application online, the top candidates will be invited to Candidates' Showcase & Selection Day, which is our chance to see your potential as a teacher.  You will participate in a group discussion, problem-solving activity, in-person interview, and will give a 5-minute lesson to high school students.  A group of raters will evaluate candidates using performance rubrics, and the top candidates will be selected for the LAUTR program.

  What if I’m not selected to be a Resident for LAUTR?
Ours is a very competitive program.  If you go through the process of applying for and being admitted to CSULA and the CCOE, but are not selected for the LAUTR program, you can matriculate in the traditional university teacher preparation program.  Through the traditional program, you will not receive the living stipend, and will complete a directed teaching assignment (student teaching) instead of being matched with a mentor teacher for the entire school year. However, the traditional program can be pursued on a part-time basis, and does not require a three-year commitment

How competitive is the program?  What percentage of applicants is selected?
We strive to attract and select the most talented and promising future teachers. For the sixth cohort, we filled 30 positions from 75 invited applicants to Selection Day. There are 25 available positions in each of the credential strands in Cohort 7.

Good luck!


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