Yale Teaching Fellowship
NHPS Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Track
Eligibility & Application Requirements
Key Points:
- For full-time paraprofessionals and student-facing support staff currently working in NHPS
- Gain teacher certificate and a 2-year M.A. degree in Teaching from SCSU
- Full tuition* benefit
- Living stipend of $46,000 minus NHPS salary during the first year of the fellowship
- Commit to teaching in NHPS for at least 3 years following program completion
The Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Track provides a route to teacher certification in Connecticut and a Master of Arts in Teaching from SCSU for full-time paraprofessionals and student-facing support staff currently working in NHPS.
Each year, up to 11 paraprofessionals and support staff will be selected to pursue a two-year Master of Arts in Teaching at SCSU in an NHPS shortage area. They will continue to work in their current roles as paraprofessionals and support staff during the first year of their degree program, then they will work as full-time teachers of record under a Resident Educator Certificate (REC) during the second year of their degree program.
Paraprofessional and Support Staff Track fellows will take courses for two summer, two fall, and two spring terms. Yale will provide full tuition*, a living stipend of $46,000 minus their NHPS salary during their first year of the fellowship (if their NHPS salary is lower than $46,000), and a cohort experience. In exchange, fellows commit to teaching in NHPS for at least three years following degree program completion, during which they will receive ongoing mentorship.
* Tuition does not cover non-mandatory fees or any past due bills for previous SCSU enrollment; fellows are responsible for resolving any unpaid SCSU bills before starting the fellowship.
Because the Yale Teaching Fellowship is a collaboration between Yale University, New Haven Public Schools, New Haven Promise, and Southern Connecticut State University, there are several categories of application requirements, which also meet the standards of the CT State Department of Education. Southern Connecticut State University retains sole discretion for eligibility requirements for its degree programs.
1. Fellowship Eligibility
- Currently employed as a full-time paraprofessional or full-time, student-facing support staff in NHPS
- Has successfully completed the 120-day probationary period
- Lives in, or by the start date of the fellowship will live in, a geographic area that enables full participation in the fellowship (attending in-person classes at SCSU and working in NHPS)
2. Application Requirements
- Short answers
- Essay questions
- Letter of recommendation from NHPS supervisor
- Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended (including WES/ECE certified evaluations of any international degrees)
- Resume or curriculum vita (CV)
Use the “Save” button in the application to receive a link to your in-process YTF application. Copy the link or email it to yourself, so you can return to your incomplete application as many times as needed until you finish and submit by the January 1 deadline. All application materials must be received by January 1, 2025 to be considered complete.
3. SCSU Admissions Requirements
(Fellowship finalists must separately apply to SCSU for the relevant degree program. SCSU evaluates the eligibility for its degree programs and retains sole discretion over admissions decisions for applicants to its degree programs.)
M.A.T. in Special Education (PK-12):
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.70[1] (International applicants must hold the foreign equivalent from an internationally recognized institution; certified evaluation of transcripts from WES/ECE must be provided)
- Praxis® Core[2]
M.A.T. in Mathematics – Secondary Ed (4-12):
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.70[1] (International applicants must hold the foreign equivalent from an internationally recognized institution; certified evaluation of transcripts from WES/ECE must be provided)
- Praxis® Core[2]
- Evidence of content knowledge
- Major in math or
- 30+ credits in math at the Calculus 1 level or above and 9 credits in a related subject (e.g., statistics, economics, logic, etc.) or
- Passing score (159+) on Praxis® II Mathematics[3] and Calculus 1 (Differential Calculus), Calculus 2 (Integral Calculus), Statistics, Linear Algebra, and Geometry (can be substituted by SCSU Geometry module)
- No fewer than 39 credits distributed across 5 of 6 content areas (English, math, science, social studies, fine arts, or world languages), including a 3-credit U.S. history survey course[4]
M.A.T. in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, or Physics – Secondary Ed (4-12):
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.70[1] (International applicants must hold the foreign equivalent from an internationally recognized institution; certified evaluation of transcripts from WES/ECE must be provided)
- Praxis® Core[2]
- Evidence of content knowledge
- Major in the chosen content area or
- Passing score on Praxis® II Biology (154+), Praxis® II Chemistry (146+), Praxis® II Earth Science (154+), or Praxis® II Physics (145+)[3] and 12+ credits in the chosen content area and 3+ credits in math at the Calculus 1 level or above
- No fewer than 39 credits distributed across 5 of 6 content areas (English, math, science, social studies, fine arts, or world languages), including a 3-credit U.S. history survey course[4]
4. Fellowship Conditions & Obligations
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA at SCSU (a cumulative GPA of 3.0+ is required for graduation)
- 3+ years[5] of full-time teaching in NHPS[6] following completion of the degree program at SCSU
[1] SCSU will consider waiving this requirement for degree program applicants who have less than a 2.70 cumulative GPA but meet all other SCSU admission requirements; the GPA waiver requires a letter from the degree program applicant (addressing their GPA and making a case for their waiver request) and at least two strong letters of support from academic and/or professional references.
[2] SCSU degree program applicants qualify for a Praxis® Core waiver if: (1) they have an SAT score of 530 or higher on the math section and 540 or higher on the reading and writing section, or (2) an ACT score of 21 or higher on both the math and reading sections (scores must be within last five years). Applicants missing Praxis® Core scores can be conditionally admitted to the SCSU degree program, provided they complete the Praxis® Core by May 15, 2025. CT requires teacher candidates to take the Praxis® Core exam; while there is no passing score, candidates who do not achieve a satisfactory score will be required to participate in remediation plans.
[3] SCSU degree program applicants missing passing Praxis® II content exam scores can be conditionally admitted to the SCSU degree program, provided they pass the Praxis® II content exam within six months. (Note: Passing this exam is a certification requirement.)
[4] SCSU degree program applicants missing no more than 3 required credits (1 course) can be conditionally accepted to the SCSU degree program, provided they complete the missing course within six months; course requirements can be completed at any accredited institution or by successful completion of a CLEP® exam matching the missing course.
[5] If a fellow fails to complete their three-year employment as required for their fellowship track, they will be required to pay back a portion of their fellowship funding. $10,000 will be owed if the fellow completes less than one-year of the employment requirement; $6,666 will be owed if the fellow completes more than one year but less than two years of the employment requirement; and $3,333 will be owed if the fellow completes more than two years but less than three years of the employment requirement.
[6] In the event a fellow is not offered a full-time teaching position in NHPS by July 31st of the year in which they receive their degree from SCSU, they can complete their three-year commitment at another CT Alliance District. Fellows must provide notice of their intent to fulfill their three-year commitment at another CT Alliance District in advance.