School of Education

Partners & Collaboration

Primary Goals & Objectives

  • Recruit, prepare and support 60 pre-service candidates (Teacher Residents),
    particularly from underserved populations, to serve in high-need rural districts.
  • Prepare Teacher Residents to meet students’ social, emotional, and educational
    needs by developing their expertise in inclusive pedagogy, social emotional
    learning, trauma informed practices, and healing centered engagement.
  • Improve the abilities of Mentor Teachers to support candidates to effectively use
    inclusive pedagogy, social emotional learning, trauma informed practices, and
    healing centered engagement in high need schools.
  • Provide ongoing support that complements Teacher Residents’ induction
    experiences during their first three years.

Chico State Organizations

Rural Public School Districts

Additional Partners

Mentor Teachers

BEST Mentor Teachers are dedicated, supportive professionals who work closely with university partners to help Residents become successful, equitable educators through supervision, guidance, co-planning, co-teaching and coaching. Each BEST Mentor Teacher is carefully selected and referred by district leadership to participate in the grant.

students in a classroom

University Supervisors

Each BEST University Supervisor has expertise and extensive teaching experience in elementary education. As representatives of Chico State in the schools, University Supervisors provide close and continuing contact for instruction and guidance of credential Residents and make every attempt to be consistent, supportive, equitable and objective. Each BEST University Supervisor is carefully selected through an interview and application process with adequate references to participate in the grant.