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FRAMINGHAM – Framingham State University and Framingham Public Schools are preparing
to launch the Framingham Teacher Residency AmeriCorps Program aimed at guiding applicants
from bilingual and underrepresented backgrounds toward teaching careers at the secondary level.
A teacher residency is a hands-on learning experience that embeds a candidate in a school
district with a professional mentor and academic coursework that is directly related to their
classroom experience. It is similar to the model used in the medical profession.
The program, which launches this fall, will place participants at Fuller Middle School and
Cameron Middle School, which are Title I schools that are developing dual-language programs
within the Framingham Public School district.
“It’s been really inspiring talking to the teacher applicants for this program,” says FSU English
Professor Kelly Matthews, who co-authored the grant application with Education Professor
Wardell Powell.
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The $1.7 million grant from the federal AmeriCorps program, awarded via the Massachusetts
Service Alliance, will be divided over three years, with $574,697 being provided for the first
year of the program. Those funds will cover 46 percent of the total cost, while the remaining 54
percent will be covered by FSU and FPS through in-kind contributions totaling $666,301,
including $382,000 in federal Title I funding. Program expenses include training, course enrollment, stipends for participants and more. If all goes well, the grant is eligible for renewal after three years.
Planning for the residency program began last fall, when FSU received a $74,855 planning grant
to further pursue the residency program.
“I’m excited for this opportunity to help the Framingham Public School district, which has many
students who do not speak English,” says Powell. “Having teachers who speak the language of
their students is paramount to success.”
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At Framingham Public Schools, as in most Massachusetts districts, more than 80 percent of the
teachers are white, despite the fact that white students make up less than 50 percent of the public
school population.
Other key contributors to the grant are Framingham Public Schools Assistant Superintendent for
Human Resources, Inna Kantor London, Dr. Everton Vargas da Costa, who is the Coordinator of
Talent Acquisition, Learning & Growth, and Tiago Gadens, Associate Director of HR and Talent
Development, Framingham Public Schools.
“National Service is an essential part of the solution to many of the challenges that the
Commonwealth faces as we continue to recover from the effects of COVID-19,” said Emily
Haber, CEO of the Massachusetts Service Alliance. “These AmeriCorps members will meet
pressing local needs and strengthen communities as they develop civic and leadership skills to
last a lifetime. I congratulate these outstanding organizations and thank all those who serve their
communities through AmeriCorps.”
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The Residency Program will be open to undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students,
according to Powell. The program will be an option for current FSU students, as well as
paraprofessionals within public school systems interested in advancing to full teaching roles, and
members of the broader community who may have an interest in teaching.
Candidates who successfully complete the residency program can expect teaching opportunities
within Framingham Public Schools. The first cohort for the upcoming academic year is already
in place, but anyone interested in learning more about future opportunities can visit:
https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/FTR
The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA), established in 1991, is a private, nonprofit organization
that expands volunteerism and service in Massachusetts by providing individuals and organizations with
funding, training, and support, which enables them to strengthen communities and make our
Commonwealth a better place to live. Learn more at www.mass-service.org.
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Saint Bridget School 
MassBay Community College