SMCOE is dedicated to furthering our focus on equity and our priority of diversifying the educational workplace in our county by partnering with Alder Graduate School of Education to offer a Teacher Residency Program.
’s mission is to create opportunity and cultivate success for every student by recruiting and educating excellent teachers and leaders who reflect our schools’ communities.
Imagine a residency where you will:
- Earn your Master’s Degree and Teaching Credential in one year (June-June).
- Apprentice four days a week with an expert teacher in your residency school.
- Learn within a cohort of peers with whom you will work (and laugh) with all year, paving the way to becoming lifelong friends and colleagues.
- Engage in critical conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion with your mentor, instructors, and peers.
- Receive priority consideration for a full-time position upon completing the program.
- Do all of this at a cost that is affordable and includes $27,000 + grant funded living stipend and other financial support.
Our program is based on a residency model that combines immersive hands-on practice in the classroom with educational theory and research in both seminars and online. It takes place in partnership with K–12 schools in historically underserved communities, and 97% of our graduates obtain full-time teaching positions after completing the program.
Partner-Specific Program Details:
Our SMCOE/Alder teacher residency program consortium is made up of partnerships with districts and county programs in San Mateo County. Each year the district and county program partners determine the number of residency spots they will offer. The credential area of focus for our SMCOE/Alder Teacher Residency Program is Education Specialist, Multiple Subject, and Single Subject Math or Science, which means that our residents will earn a Master’s in Education and one of the listed credentials upon successful completion of the residency program.
- Bayshore Elementary School District
- Belmont-Redwood Shores School District
- Jefferson Union High School District
- Las Lomitas Elementary School District
- Redwood City School District
- Ravenswood City Elementary School District
- San Carlos Charter School
- San Carlos School District
- San Mateo Union High School District
- South San Francisco Unified School District
Tuition and Financial Aid:
Alder GSE provides an affordable and supportive path to a rewarding and successful teaching career. As an Alder student, you will receive:
- A Master’s Degree and Teaching Credential
- A year-long apprenticeship with an excellent, trained mentor teacher
- A cohort of up to twenty-five peers with whom to learn and grow
- Academic support from an expert instructional Director dedicated to your development and to creating a strong cohort experience
- A financial stipend of $41,250
- Access to financial aid (federal loans), , and other financial benefits
- Eligibility for Loan Deferral during the program
- A 50% discount on credential test preparation courses and additional testing supports, including free test preparation resources
- Priority hiring—90% of Alder graduates secure a full-time position at one of our school partners after their program year
Year One: You will be a full-time student completing your graduate-level coursework and co-teaching in a classroom with a mentor teacher four days a week.
Years Two and Beyond: You will be fully prepared to work as a full-time teacher, making a positive difference for countless students over your lifetime.
Costs
Program & Living Costs: | |
2024-2025 Tuition | General Education: $22,610 Special Education: $22,610 (net of Alder Residency SPED grant) Bilingual Placement: $22,610 (net of Alder Bilingual Placement grant) |
Test Registration Fees | Approximately $1,000 depending on the number of tests a student takes |
Credential Fees | $340 |
Live Scan and TB Fees | Approximately $150 based on the provider |
Books | $600 |
Other Living Expenses | Varies depending on your personal circumstances |
For more information about financial aid, please visit .
Admissions and Application Process:
There are two parts to the application and admission process:
Part 1
- Attend info session offered by partner district/program (held in November, February and March of each school year)
- (the application step includes completing a written document and a video response to questions)
- Participate in a panel interview
After a candidate successfully moves through the Part 1 steps, they move to Part 2
Part 2
- Applying to the graduate school (Alder)
Admission to Cohort 4 (2024-2025) is closed. The application process for Cohort 5 (2025-2026) will begin in September 1, 2024. For more information please contact Carmen French (cfrench@smcoe.org), SMCOE Director, Teacher Residency and Administrator Programs and/or visit Alder GSE admissions website:
Our Impact
“I see the Alder Teacher Residency (ATR) as a program that really ensures teachers are ready to serve a classroom and community of historically underserved students. What I really appreciated about the residency was the amount of support I got from my director, mentor, fellow teachers and staff, and my cohort. Equity was a major part of the experience and making sure we knew where our students and families came from and how to best serve them.”
— Vitalis Obidi, Alum
“There are so many benefits of the Alder residency program. Alder set me up for success by pairing me with a highly experienced teacher that I collaborated with daily in my year long residency. The experience I received from my residency year was invaluable. My favorite aspect of the Alder residency is that you are a real co-teacher for the entire school year. This allows you to build amazing relationships with your students and families, as well as colleagues. You really become a part of your school community.”
— Anita Rodriguez, Alum
Carmen French
Director, Teacher Residency and Administrator Programs
Email: cfrench@smcoe.org
Phone: (650) 802-5334