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Application Process
Interested in applying? Keep reading for more information about how the process works and what is required to join our efforts.
STEP 1: READ THIS WEBSITE!
Before you do anything else, carefully read through the information on this website. Familiarize yourself with the details of the program. Oakland Teaching Fellows also holds regular Information Sessions for individuals interested in applying to the program.
To register for an Information Session, click here.
STEP 2: CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY.
Applicants to the program must meet a number of eligibility requirements in order to be considered. Make sure that you're eligible! Thoroughly read the section on Eligibility for the Oakland Teaching Fellows, and if you still have questions about your specific situation, email us.
STEP 3: APPLY NOW!
Applying is easy with our online application. You can complete the application form and responses to Application Questions electronically. Click here to apply online today.
A complete application includes the following:
Resume
You will need to upload a current resume in Microsoft Word 2003 (or earlier version) or PDF format. Your resume should include information such as but not limited to work history, previous achievements, community involvement and teaching/tutoring/volunteer experience with children.
Application Questions
Your responses to the Application Questions provide us with information not captured elsewhere in the application. We use your responses to evaluate your writing and critical thinking skills, and more importantly, to gain a sense of your commitment to teaching students in the Oakland Unified School District. We recommend that you carefully review the questions and the guidelines found on the application before responding. The Application Questions can also be found below.
Application Questions (200-400 words each):
- Nearly all Fellows are placed in 'high-need' schools that are located in low-income communities. Why do you want to teach in a high-need school?
- The most important responsibility of a teacher is to ensure high academic achievement for all students. Explain how a skill or ability that you possess will help you ensure high academic achievement for all students and provide an example of how you have effectively demonstrated this skill or ability in the past.
- Teaching Fellows will face new and significant challenges during their first year of teaching. Briefly describe a professional, personal, or academic challenge you have overcome. What steps did you take to address the challenge, and how will that experience contribute to your success as a Teaching Fellow?
Click here to apply now.
STEP 4: REGISTER FOR CSET AND CBEST.
In order to be fully admitted into the program, all candidates must take and pass the appropriate CSET examination, or demonstrate completion of subject matter requirements, before beginning the Training Institute. Passage of the CBEST, or completion of the basic skills requirement, is also required to teach in California. Fellows must take the CBEST no later than April 18, 2009. Both teaching tests are administered by National Evaluation Systems, Inc. (NES). For details about the test and specific requirements, see the section of this website entitled Testing Requirements. Teachers report that the CSET is extremely difficult and requires careful preparation to pass, and applicants are strongly encouraged to register for and take the CSET as soon as possible.
STEP 5: REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS.
If selected for an interview, candidates must bring one official transcript from all universities attended to the interview event. The transcript should show the date that the Bachelor’s degree was conferred. Candidates that will graduate after May 2009 should bring unofficial transcripts to the interview and send official transcripts with the degree conferred to the Oakland Teaching Fellows office by July, 2009. Please do not send transcripts before the interview event. In rare cases, candidates who are unable to obtain official transcripts before the interview date should mail them to the Oakland Teaching Fellows office within one week from the date of the interview.
Please note that we cannot return transcripts after they have been submitted, even if you are not admitted to the program.
If you attended a foreign university, please review the Eligibility section for information specific to candidates with foreign transcripts.
STEP 6: INTERVIEW. (Invited candidates only)
Applicants demonstrating strong potential will be invited to participate in one of our Interview Events. You will be notified as to whether you have been invited to an Interview Event within approximately two weeks of submitting a complete application. If invited, you should be prepared to interview in Oakland at one of the scheduled Interview Events posted on this website. The Interview Event will include a teaching sample, a discussion with other candidates, a writing sample, and a personal interview. Please note that our comprehensive interview process allows the District to offer a job guarantee to begin teaching in the fall of 2009. Also, please note that not all applicants will be invited to an Interview Event.
STEP 7: WAIT FOR A DECISION.
OUSD will decide whether or not an applicant is accepted into the District as an Oakland Teaching Fellow, based on the strength of the submitted application materials and Interview Event performance. Interviewees will be notified of their admission status within two weeks of the Interview Event by email or mail. At this time, selected candidates will access an electronic enrollment package with additional information on the program and a deadline by which to enroll in Oakland Teaching Fellows.
STEP 8: COMPLETE SCHOOL DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS.
Before Fellows can begin training, they must provide the following documentation required by the Oakland Unified School District:
- Employment and CCTC Fingerprinting Clearance (Fellows are responsible for related fingerprinting fees)
- Current Verification of Negative TB Test or Chest X-Ray Results (obtained within
two months of hire)
- I-9 Documentation for Employment Eligibility (i.e. proof of citizenship or legal
residency)
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Official Transcripts from ALL institutions attended**
- Copies of Passing CBEST Scores
- Copies of Passing CSET Scores (for the appropriate CSET)***
- Copy of Social Security Card (must bring actual social security card at time of pre-employment processing)
Selected Fellows will receive more information about these requirements upon acceptance into the program* All candidates accepted as Fellows are guaranteed a position to begin teaching in a high-need position in Oakland in the fall of 2009.
*New teachers must pass background checks for OUSD and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing prior to entering the classroom and working with students.
**To enroll in the Fellows program, you must submit transcripts from all institutions attended--including community colleges—at the time of your interview. Fellows should request a total of three copies from each institution: one to be submitted to Oakland Teaching Fellows and two to be held by the Fellow for admission to a credential program
*** Please note that CSET passage is not required to attend an interview or to be conditionally accepted into the program. However, all Fellows must pass the appropriate CSET(s) for their subject area in order to begin the Training Institute this summer. If you are unsure as to which CSET you should take after reviewing the information on this website, email questions to info@OaklandTeachingFellows.org.
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