Education · Chico, CA
Chico State Secures $8M Federal Grant to Pay 60 Teacher Residents $42K Stipend
Chico State University received an $8 million federal Teacher Quality Partnership Grant to fund its Rural Opportunities for Outstanding Teaching and Schools (ROOTS) program, which will pay 60 teaching residents a $42,000 annual stipend. The yearlong residency prepares candidates for a multiple-subject credential and master's degree while they work alongside mentor teachers in rural schools across California's northernmost region, where an estimated 170 new elementary teachers are needed in 2026–27. Four cohorts of 15 residents will rotate through the program, with the first group beginning classes next summer and applications due in the spring. Graduates will continue receiving coaching and professional learning support after entering the teaching profession.