Friends School offers a unique teacher preparation program to aspiring teachers that will enable them to attain a Colorado teaching license as well as an optional Master’s degree in education through our partnership with the University of Colorado Denver. This highly regarded graduate-level program offers two tracks depending on your specific needs. Coursework begins in August with an orientation week and continues every Saturday throughout the school year. All teacher candidates will engage in a year of hands-on classroom teaching experience regardless of the “field experience option” chosen.
Sign up for an info session to learn more
Learn more about our program by attending one of our info sessions below. All sessions are done via Zoom video conferencing. We are also happy to meet with prospective applicants on an individual basis.
Contact us at tppinfo@friendsschoolboulder.org to schedule an individual meeting.
WE ARE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR
NEW! STIPENDS FOR ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES: Colorado HB 22-1220: Removing Barriers to Educator Preparation was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis in May of 2022. This law creates an innovation program to provide stipends to eligible teacher candidates while they complete their clinical experience. Applicants to Friends TPP may be eligible to receive funds up to $22,000. Contact Friends Teacher Preparation Program Director, Julie Hart to inquire about this program.
- Rolling Application Process: We will continue to accept applications into the summer months unless otherwise indicated on our website.
- Please note: In order to be considered for the Kitzinger Scholarship, applicants must submit the online application and Kitzinger application by February 21, 2023. Scroll down for more information on the Kitzinger Scholarship and how to apply.
Our partner, TEACH Colorado, is a program that provides free support to anyone who’s thinking about becoming a teacher. When you sign up, you get perks like 1-on-1 coaching, up to $100 back in fee reimbursements towards expenses related to applying to our program (including testing and fingerprints), and a chance to win a regional $1,000 scholarship!
To capitalize on the application fee reimbursement, you just have to create a TEACH Colorado account here before you apply to Friends School Teacher Preparation Program. Once you have subscribed to TEACH Colorado and applied to Friends, you can submit your application fee reimbursement here and apply for the TEACH Colorado scholarship here!
REQUIRED FIELD EXPERIENCE OPTIONS:
Option 1 – Co-Teaching Residency Model
The residency track of the program places teachers in one of our partnership classrooms in public and independent schools throughout Boulder and surrounding counties each year. Teacher candidates spend four days each week for one school year in either an elementary or preschool classroom, working alongside a mentor teacher in a co-teaching role. The mentor teacher serves as the teacher of record in this model.
Option 2 – Teacher of Record or Employee Model
In this track of the program, teacher candidates generally secure a position within a school on their own, either as the teacher of record, assistant or associate teacher, or paraeducator. The teacher candidate is essentially an employee of the school where they are gaining their required field experience and may be required to work Monday through Friday at their school.
LICENSE & MASTER’S DEGREE
Colorado Teaching License
Upon completion of the program and passing of required test, teacher candidates receive their Initial Colorado Teaching License in either Elementary Education (K-6) or Early Childhood Education (birth-age 8).
Master’s Degree
Participants in the preparation program may choose to complete a Master’s in Learning, Developmental and Family Sciences, through our partnership with the University of Colorado Denver. Teacher candidates in the Master’s program receive 12 hours of graduate credit for their classroom teaching experience and coursework completed within the program, with an additional 6 credits earned through University of Colorado Denver courses during the program year. The remaining eighteen credits through University of Colorado Denver are generally taken over the summer and following year.
FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
Friends School Teacher Preparation Program Financial Outline 2022-23 Academic Year
NEW! STIPENDS FOR ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES:Colorado HB 22-1220: Removing Barriers to Educator Preparation was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis in May of 2022. This law creates an innovation program to provide stipends to eligible teacher candidates while they complete their clinical experience. Applicants to Friends TPP may be eligible to receive funds up to $22,000. Contact Friends Teacher Preparation Program Director, Julie Hart to inquire about this program.
Licensure through Friends School Teacher Preparation Program
$9,000 – Licensure (Friends School’s Community Board determines tuition in December of each year. This amount will be updated in January.)
Master’s Program through the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) (optional)
The cost of this specialized program through the CU Denver office of Continuing & Professional Education is a significant discount over a main campus degree. Numbers based on 2022-23 tuition and are subject to change.
$4,860 – Internship year: 18 credits
$4,860 – $5,823 – Remaining 18 credits
$9,720 – $10,683 – TOTAL COST OF CU Denver Master’s through partnership with Friends TPP
University of Colorado Denver Master’s Financial Aid FAQs
Licensure + Master’s Program
$18,720 – $19,683 – TOTAL Cost for Licensure and Master’s
Kitzinger Scholarship
Kitzinger Scholarship Information
Kitzinger Scholarship Application
Julie Hart, EdDTPP Brochure
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TPP APPLICATION PROCESS
Follow this 3-step process to apply for the Friends TPP
Please read through the application checklist prior to starting your application. You will not be able to save and return to the application once you have started, so you will want to make sure you have all components ready. Please note: You must have a bachelor’s degree in order to participate in the program.
Once your application and all supplemental materials are received received and reviewed, you will be contacted with next steps in the process.
(CDE) Alternative License Instructions
Please note: In order for you to enroll in any Alternative Teacher Licensing Program in Colorado, including the Friends School Teacher Preparation Program, you must pass the appropriate Praxis Exams. Details and information can be found in the CDE Alternative License Instructions.
If accepted into the Friends TPP, this will be completed with program support in May and/or early June.
For more information about the program, please email Julie Hart.
TPP PARTNER SCHOOLS
Bear Creek Elementary
Crest View Elementary
Crown Pointe Academy
Eisenhower Elementary School
Emerald Elementary
Gold Hill Elementary School
Horizons K-8
Louisville Elementary School
Meadowlark School
Mesa Elementary School
Monarch K-8
Peak to Peak Charter School
Sanchez Elementary School
Superior Elementary School
Whittier International School
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The Friends School Teacher Prep Program was one of the best years of my life, and it has shaped my entire teaching career. I completed the program in 2008 and have been teaching from the heart ever since. Thank you!
~ Mackenzie F-H, former TC