High School to Teacher: From Student to Educator

The High School to Teacher (HSTT) program — later renamed Teacher Cadet — was Boston Public Schools' long-term investment in growing its own teaching talent. Starting in ninth grade, the program provided mentoring, academic support, college preparation, and direct teaching experience to BPS students interested in returning to their community as educators.

The Pipeline

HSTT was built as a true pipeline, with intentional support at every stage of the journey from high school through the start of a teaching career:

• Freshman Year Recruitment. Students at participating BPS high schools were identified through teacher recommendations, self-nomination, and outreach events. The program looked for students who demonstrated interest in working with younger peers, strong communication skills, and a connection to their community — not just high GPAs.
• High School Mentoring & Academics. From ninth through twelfth grade, participants received tutoring, SAT prep, college application support, and exposure to education as a discipline. Mentors — current BPS teachers and college education students — provided consistent guidance.
• Teaching Experience. Students observed and assisted in elementary and middle school classrooms, led small-group activities, and participated in structured reflection seminars. The program's partnership with the Young People's Project on the Algebra 1 Grand Challenge was a signature example of this hands-on model.
• College Bridge. After high school graduation, HSTT maintained relationships with participants through their college years. Summer placements in BPS schools, connections to teacher preparation programs, and ongoing mentoring helped sustain the commitment to teaching through the undergraduate experience.
• Return to BPS. The ultimate goal: graduates completing their education degrees and returning to teach in Boston Public Schools, bringing firsthand knowledge of what it means to be a student in the district.

Partnerships

HSTT benefited from partnerships with Boston University and several community organizations that provided mentoring capacity, practicum placements, and expertise in teacher preparation. The collaboration with BU was particularly significant, offering HSTT alumni a familiar institutional connection as they pursued undergraduate and graduate education degrees. Community partners helped extend the program's reach into neighborhoods across Boston, ensuring recruitment was not limited to a small number of schools.

Program Milestones

• Won national recognition through the Algebra 1 Grand Challenge in partnership with the Young People's Project
• Expanded from a pilot at a handful of BPS high schools to broader district availability
• Renamed to Teacher Cadet to align with national cadet-model best practices
• Produced cohorts of alumni who returned to BPS as licensed teachers, completing the full pipeline cycle
• Contributed to measurable increases in the diversity of BPS teacher candidates sourced from within the district

Why It Mattered

The persistent underrepresentation of teachers of color in American public schools is well documented. In Boston, the gap between student and teacher demographics was especially pronounced. HSTT addressed this challenge at its root: rather than competing with other districts and private sector employers for a limited pool of diverse teaching candidates, BPS invested in building that pool from its own student body. The program demonstrated that with early identification, sustained support, and genuine institutional commitment, school districts can grow the workforce they need from the communities they serve.

The program was part of the Office of Recruitment, Cultivation & Diversity Programs (RCD) within BPS, alongside the ACTT program for paraprofessionals and the Male Educators of Color leadership initiative.