The expansion is supported by renewed funding from Class Act Federal Credit Union, which has committed $450,000 to support scholarships and programmatic needs.

The Louisville Teacher Residency, the first program of its kind in Kentucky, provides college graduates who did not major in education the opportunity to earn a master’s degree and Kentucky teaching certification in just one year, in exchange for a commitment to teach in a high-needs JCPS school.

“UofL is deeply grateful for our partnership with Jefferson County Public Schools to implement a teacher residency program that recruits, retains and elevates future educators,â€� said President Gerry Bradley. “We are also grateful to Class Act for their generous scholarship support, which enables us to create new pathways for educators pursuing careers in Early Childhood ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Special ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥.â€�

During the residency year, participants spend four days each week embedded in JCPS classrooms, gaining hands-on teaching experience under the guidance of master teachers. On Fridays and throughout the summer, residents attend classes at UofL, completing coursework co-designed by JCPS and university faculty to ensure alignment with classroom realities and district needs. Upon completion, residents transition into full-time teaching roles within JCPS.

“I am thankful for Class Act’s continued support, which plays an important role in providing our residents with the guidance, resources, and preparation needed to succeed in the classroom,” said Stefanie Wooten Burnett, assistant dean at UofL’s College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Human Development. “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to strengthening the teacher pipeline and supporting students in JCPS.” 

Class Act Federal Credit Union has now committed more than $1 million to the Louisville Teacher Residency program since its creation.

“Supporting the Louisville Teacher Residency aligns with our credit union philosophy of ‘people helping people,’ and specifically with Class Act’s mission of supporting education in our communityâ€� said Tom Anonson, president and CEO at Class Act Federal Credit Union. “By partnering with UofL and JCPS, we are helping prepare educators who will make a lasting difference for students and families across our community.â€�

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The teachers received their master’s degrees this month from UofL after completing the Louisville Teacher Residency (LTR) program, which is designed to increase the pool of diverse, highly skilled teachers in low-performing urban schools.

The program, the first of its kind in Kentucky, offers college graduates who did not major in education the opportunity to obtain a master’s degree and teaching certification in one year. In exchange, they commit to teach in a high-needs JCPS school.

“UofL is deeply grateful for our partnership with Jefferson County Public Schools to implement a teacher residency program that recruits, retains and elevates future educators,â€� said Amy Lingo, interim dean of the College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Human Development (CEHD).

The 2023-24 LTR program begins in June, with a class of up to 50 residents. During the residency year, participants spend four days a week in the classroom alongside JCPS master teachers. During the summer and on Fridays, the residents will attend classes at UofL, and complete coursework co-designed by JCPS and the university. Participants will earn $30,000 plus benefits from JCPS during their residency then commit to work for five years in an Accelerated Improvement School (AIS) within JCPS.

Class Act Credit Union committed up to $300,000 for scholarships and programming for the first three years of LTR and has committed to the same funding for another three years.

Individuals interested in applying for the LTR program should visit the . Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree and at least a 2.75 GPA. Participants need not be a minority to apply, though the district is prioritizing candidates in high-needs areas, including minority representation and math and science teachers.

The goal is to create a diverse teacher workforce within Jefferson County Public Schools that transforms educational outcomes of all students through courageous conversations, racially equitable instruction, culturally responsive teaching and meaningful reflection.Ìý

Hosted by the College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Human Development in collaboration with Class Act Federal Credit Union, a recent reception at the Speed Art Museum celebrated both recent graduates and the incoming class of residents.

“It’s our honor to celebrate this program, both for the experiences of the students as well as the impact we know it has made in the community,� said CEHD Interim Dean Amy Lingo.

Nakhaya Douglas, an alumna of the program and a sixth grade math teacher at Thomas Jefferson Middle School provided incoming residents with advice.

“You need to have support, self-care and a standard,� she said. “There are going to be days where you want to say, ‘I’m done.’ Do not give up. Find whatever it is that keeps you going and believing in your future.�

UofL’s CEHD Director of Multiple Teaching Pathways, Stefanie Wooten-Burnett, says the LTR program is important for the success of all JCPS students.

“When I graduated from UofL’s master’s in teaching program in 2004, I was the only candidate of color,� Wooten-Burnett said. “When I think back on that, it was both depressing and daunting because we were going to work in schools with kids who looked like me, looked like my husband who is white and looked like my beautiful mixed children.�

JCPS superintendent Marty Pollio urged the incoming residents and recent graduates to remember the importance of their work.

“Kids lives are on the line,â€� Pollio said. “If I haven’t learned nothing else in my 24 years in JCPS, I have learned this: every interaction you have with a kid is a chance to change their life.â€�   

Parker says he is familiar with teaching, having served as an after-school tutor and through experience as a Sunday School teacher and as associate minister at a local church.

“Becoming a school teacher is a way of investing in my future through students. As adults, we have a responsibility of giving back and showing future generations our mistakes, so they can learn from us,� he said.

Parker is part of the first cohort of 32 students in the , an initiative of the and the system. The objective of the program, the first of its kind in Kentucky, is to increase the pool of diverse, highly-skilled teachers, particularly in low-performing, urban schools.Ìý

The program also seeks to bridge a gap in JCPS, where nearly 37% of students are African American, but just a little more than 12% of its full-time teachers are Black. Of the 32 LTR program participants, 22 identify as Black and two students identify as Latino/Hispanic.

Through an accelerated program, the teaching residents will earn a master’s degree and teaching certification in just one-year. Participants receive $30,000 plus benefits from JCPS during their residency in exchange for a commitment to work five years in an Accelerated Improvement School (AIS) within JCPS. They also can take part in financial literacy and advising through Class Act Federal Credit Union, and Class Act Scholars receive a $3,000 scholarship.

“Speed and quality of education are paramount to answering the call of closing the achievement gap in our schools,� Parker said. “With the efficacy of having a diverse teaching staff being a driving factor in this educational movement, I could not think of another way to get a quality education that would complement and expand my experience.�

Discovering a purpose-driven career

Khay Douglas began her undergraduate studies at UofL in civil engineering, but through an aptitude test and the encouragement of a professor, discovered education was a better fit.

Douglas went on to complete a Bachelor of Science in Early Elementary ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥, and mentors encouraged her to pursue the Louisville Teacher Residency.

“My ultimate goal is for my students and families to be able to look back one day and say, ‘Ms. Khay changed my life,’” she said.

Douglas describes herself as an aspiring education advocate, and wants to be a role model of resilience and commitment to future students by earning a master’s degree and teaching certification.

For participants of the Louisville Teacher Residency, the program can be a challenge, though mentors help guide them each step of the way.

“When you think about what is at stake, these feelings of being overwhelmed, hesitation and challenge should be expected,â€� Parker said. “It’s easy to say you want to teach because you love kids, but this program will make you prove that you mean what you say.â€�

The first LTR cohort began this summer and is expected to complete the program in June 2021.