BPS Teaching Fellowship
The BPS Teaching Fellowship was one of several pathways available to individuals who wanted to become teachers in Boston Public Schools. What set the Fellowship apart was its design: it was a district-based, practicum-focused program that allowed candidates to earn a Massachusetts Provisional Teaching License in 12 months while teaching full-time in a BPS classroom. It was the only district-operated initial licensure program approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
The Fellowship Among BPS Pathways
BPS offered multiple routes into the classroom, each designed for different candidates at different stages of their careers:
- Traditional university programs: Candidates could complete a teacher preparation program at an accredited college or university, student teach, and earn their license before applying to BPS
- ACTT (Accelerated Community to Teacher): A no-cost licensure pathway for BPS paraprofessionals and community members already working in schools, emphasizing MTEL preparation and mentored classroom practice
- Teacher Cadet / High School to Teacher: A grow-your-own pipeline that identified promising BPS high school students and supported them through college and back into district classrooms
- BPS Teaching Fellowship: An intensive, one-year practicum-based program for career changers, recent graduates, and community members ready to commit to full-time teaching immediately
The Fellowship was unique among these options because it placed candidates into classrooms as teachers of record from the start of the academic year, rather than beginning with an extended observation or student-teaching phase. This immersive model attracted candidates who were ready to learn by doing and who thrived in hands-on environments.
What Made the Fellowship Unique
District-Based Preparation
Unlike university-based programs, the Fellowship was designed and delivered by BPS itself. This meant the curriculum was directly aligned with the realities of teaching in Boston — the district's specific curriculum frameworks, student demographics, assessment systems, and school culture. Fellows did not need to translate university coursework into BPS practice; they were prepared for BPS from day one.
Practicum-Focused Model
The Fellowship's structure placed classroom experience at the center of professional learning. After an intensive summer training program, Fellows spent the full academic year leading instruction in a BPS school. They received ongoing coaching from experienced mentors, participated in cohort-based professional development, and refined their practice through continuous cycles of teaching, observation, feedback, and reflection.
Fast-Tracked Timeline
The 12-month structure meant that candidates could move from application to licensed teacher within a single year. For career changers who had already spent years building expertise in other fields, and for recent graduates eager to begin their careers, the compressed timeline was a significant advantage over multi-year university programs.
Licensure Outcome
Fellows who successfully completed the program — passing required MTEL exams, fulfilling all practicum hours, and meeting performance evaluation standards — earned a Massachusetts Provisional Teaching License. This license carried the same standing as one earned through any DESE-approved preparation program in the state, qualifying graduates to teach in public schools across Massachusetts.
Who Applied
The Fellowship attracted a range of candidates united by a shared commitment to public education in Boston. Career changers brought professional experience from fields including public health, law, science, technology, social work, and the arts. Recent college graduates applied with strong content knowledge and a desire to begin teaching without the additional time and cost of a graduate program. Community members who had served as tutors, coaches, or volunteers saw the Fellowship as a formal pathway into a career they had already begun informally. What these candidates shared was a readiness to take on the full responsibilities of classroom teaching from the outset, supported by the structure and coaching the Fellowship provided.