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Portland Dual Language Teacher Residency Program
Application Deadline:
February 1st, 2024 - Secondary candidates
May 1st, 2024 - Elementary candidates
Bilingual educators make a difference for bilingual students. Portland Public Schools recruits, trains and retains highly bilingual candidates from our community to become dual language educators and leaders in order to close the opportunity gap for historically underserved students and to invest in our linguistically diverse community.
The Portland Dual Language Teacher Residency Program (formerly the Dual Language Teacher Fellows Program) is recruiting bilingual candidates for its ninth cohort of dual language educators. PPS’ alternative licensure program was highlighted in a 2017 New America research article: “Building a Bilingual Teacher Pipeline.”
Several years ago, PPS faced double-digit bilingual teacher shortages as it expanded language immersion programs across the district in an effort to increase opportunities for historically underserved students. Up to now, over 80 candidates graduated from the program and became language teachers. Starting from 2024, secondary candidates will enter the program and be hired as substitute teachers in their first year. In their second year, candidates apply for teaching positions depending on vacancies. The K-5 candidates will be recruited from those PPS employees who are already working in a classroom.
To qualify for the program, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree and show advanced proficiency in both English and a partner language. Teacher Residents currently speak Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, and Japanese.
Candidates apply to the program beginning in December, and complete partner language assessments for both speaking and writing. Second, candidates apply to Portland State University or Oregon State University and must be accepted into their teacher preparation program. Then candidates are hired as Limited Term Employees to participate in the district summer training. The final step is to be hired as PPS substitute teachers. Teacher Residents apply for a Restricted Substitute Teaching License.
For more information, contact Lihong Dai, at ldai@pps.net.
See the impact of our newest Somali Teacher at PPS:
- OPB - What If One Culture Shares Multiple Languages
- OPB - First of Its Kind Somali Language Program Starts In North Portland
Updated November 2023
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Building a Bilingual Teacher Pipeline
New America - Two new reports from New America highlight how school district and university partnerships can help reduce the bilingual teacher shortage.
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Study Finds Students of All Races Prefer Teachers of Color
NPR - Regardless of their own race, students had more favorable perceptions of teachers of color, according to a new study from New York University.
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The Cost of English Only Education
The Atlantic - Efforts to teach ELL students in their native languages are gaining traction—and they’re benefitting native English speakers, too.
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Bilingual Teacher Shortage
New America - The bilingual teacher shortage is all too common - but many great candidates are already in the classroom.
