Eligibility to Apply
All successful Urban Teachers applicants must demonstrate strong academic performance, commitment to children and youth and education equity, professionalism, a learner stance, and be able to take responsibility for their own actions (internal locus of control). To be eligible, applicants requesting a Baltimore, Dallas, or DC placement must meet the following specific criteria:
1. Bachelor’s Degree Recognized by a Regional Certifying Agency
Degree must be conferred by the start of Summer Institute—on or before June 20, 2016 (or June 18, 2017 if the applicant applies for Early Decision). The degree must be recognized by one of the following certifying agencies at the time the degree was conferred: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Association of Biblical Higher Education (undergraduate level only), or Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools. If you are invited to a final interview, applicants must submit an unofficial copy of their undergraduate transcript to Urban Teachers (from the
degree conferring undergraduate institution) by your final interview date. Those accepted into Urban Teachers will be required to submit three final official
transcripts that are stamped with “degree conferred” or “degree awarded” as soon as they are available after graduation—two are needed by Urban Teachers and one should be sent to Urban Teachers’ higher education partner.
2. Minimum 3.0 GPA for Undergraduate Coursework Preferred (on a 4.0
Scale)
Urban Teachers accepts a minimum overall 3.0 GPA from the degree conferring undergraduate institution only. Urban Teachers will accept an undergraduate GPA of 2.75-2.99 for a few outstanding applicants (i.e., STEM major or STEM work
experience, five or more years of work experience, bilingual, or extensive work with urban children and youth or urban communities). Urban Teachers will not accept any applicants under 2.75.
3. Prior Teaching Licenses (or Certifications) are Permitted
Applicants with a current or prior teacher license (or certification), conditional or otherwise, MUST disclose this on the application. Applicants MUST also disclose if they participated in a teacher preparation program leading to licensure, whether or not they ultimately received their license. Regardless of teacher licensure status, all Urban Teachers participants will receive the same program of study and be held to the same accountability standards.
4. Passing State Pre-Professional Teaching Tests
Each state Urban Teachers works with has different testing requirements. We encourage you to send in your scores or take these pre-professional tests within 30 days of accepting an offer for a particular city. Urban Teachers must have passing scores no later than May 21, 2016 or your offer may be rescinded requiring you to reapply the following year. If you are planning to take the Praxis Core (for Baltimore or DC), and wish to take all three computer-delivered Core exams (5712, 5722, 5732) at the same time, select Core Academic Skills for Educators Combined Test (5751) when registering. Scores will be reported by individual test (5712, 5722, 5732). Apply
to take the tests here: https://www.ets.org/praxis/about/core/.
Baltimore, MD
Acceptance into Urban Teachers is contingent upon passing the Praxis Core by May 21, 2016. Please send scores to Institution Code 5822. Praxis 1, GRE, ACT or SAT tests may be used in lieu of the Praxis Core. Click here to see the passing scores: http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/msde/divisions/certification/certification_bra nch/testing_information/praxis1.html
Washington, DC*
Acceptance into Urban Teachers is contingent upon passing the Praxis Core by May 21, 2016. DC no longer accepts other tests in lieu of Praxis Core. Please send scores to Institution Code 5950.
Dallas, TX - TExES Pre-Admission Content Tests (PACT)
Applicants accepted to the Dallas, TX cohort are required to take the Pre-Admission Content Tests (PACT). Applicants are strongly encouraged to take these tests within 30 days of accepting an offer from Urban Teachers. Urban Teachers applicants must take and receive passing scores NO LATER THAN May 21, 2016. Texas requires that test takers wait 45 days before re-taking the test again. Texas also limits the number of times you can take this test to five attempts. You will need to send your score reports to Urban Teachers after you receive your score as they are only sent to the test taker. If you already have been a part of a teacher preparation program in
instructions before taking this test. Apply to take the tests here: http://cms.texes-ets.org/epp/epppact/.
5. Program Specific Eligibility Criteria
Applicants for the secondary programs—in either Mathematics or English Language Arts (ELA)—are required to meet specific eligibility criteria for those programs. Applicants who do not meet these criteria may be assigned to the Elementary Education program of study. The Secondary Math and Secondary ELA programs require a brief performance task, which is embedded within the final interview. Program placement decisions will be announced in May 2016.
Secondary Math Program
Applicants for the Secondary Math program are required to meet the general entrance criteria of the Urban Teachers program in addition to successfully
completing the Secondary Math-specific performance task during the final interview day. Applicants for the Secondary Math program need to possess a B (or better) in college-level Calculus in order to meet our eligibility criteria for secondary math placements. Urban Teachers covers the cost for the math content exam, provides some study materials, and connects participants with tutoring support during the summer and first semester of the Secondary Math residency.
Secondary English Language Arts Program
Applicants for the Secondary English Language Arts program are required to meet the general entrance criteria of the Urban Teachers program in addition to
successfully completing the Secondary ELA-specific performance task during the final interview.
6. Experience Working or Volunteering with Children and Youth
Previous experience with children and youth is required (such as through service, tutoring, teaching, mentoring, coaching or working as a camp counselor).
Experience with high needs (i.e., rural, urban, special needs) children
strengthens your application. Urban Teachers wants to be sure that all applicants are committed to working with and for urban children.
7. Recommendations
If you are invited to a Final Interview Day, applicants will need two academic or professional recommendations preferably by the time you attend a final interview. Urban Teachers will not give you an offer without them. Only the electronic
recommender form provided will be accepted. These recommendation forms generally take only 5-10 minutes to complete.
8. U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States
Foreign citizens may apply to Urban Teachers only if they are currently authorized to work in the United States with a ten-year visa. Applicants who have university level coursework from a foreign institution must have their transcripts evaluated and
translated in English by a recognized agency such as World Education Services or
the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
(AACRAO) before being considered. Urban Teachers’ higher education partner
requires the transcript evaluation come directly to them from the evaluation agency (i.e. sealed). They also require a course-by-course evaluation rather than a general degree comparison.
For applicants whose native language is not English, an official copy of your score
report from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required. In order
to ensure an applicant’s ability to participate successfully in the Urban Teachers’ curriculum, minimum score requirements must be met for admission. The required minimum for the TOEFL test are as follows: 600 (paper based), or 100 (internet based). (If you received your undergraduate degree from a U.S. college or university where the coursework was taught in English, this condition may be waived.)
9. Ability to Receive a Cleared Criminal Background Check
Urban Teachers reserves the right to deny admission to Urban Teachers or dismiss any Urban Teachers resident who has been involved in a criminal proceeding other than a minor traffic violation, regardless of the outcome. This includes criminal matters that were handled by a juvenile court and final determinations that are sealed or otherwise expunged from the public record.
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS: Urban Teachers admits students of any race, age, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Urban Teachers does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies,
admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
DISABILITY ACCOMODATIONS POLICY: Urban Teachers is committed to providing equal access and opportunities to applicants with legally recognizable disabilities, and prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the application process, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and similar state laws. Urban Teachers will work to provide reasonable accommodations for differently-abled applicants throughout the application
CONFIDENTIALITY: Urban Teachers requires all applicants to treat the entire application process as confidential. Any sharing of interview materials provided by Urban Teachers may cause the applicant to be disqualified.
