Student teachers in California can now receive stipends to help cover some of the costs of completing their teacher preparation programs.
The one-time $10,000 stipends for aspiring teachers are available to students completing the required in-classroom training portion of their teacher preparation programs, which are typically unpaid.
Student teachers are required to complete at least 600 hours of teaching, and many aspiring educators never earn their teaching credential due to the financial burden during their training period, according to Mary Vixie Sandy, executive director of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
Sandy said in an Oct. 13 press release announcing the stipend that the financial support will allow eligible student teachers to work alongside experienced educators and develop the necessary skills for leading their own future classrooms….