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Description
The Governor’s Teaching Fellowship program was created in 2000
under SB
1666 (Alarcon) to attract and retain qualified individuals to
the teaching profession. The program provides competitive merit-based
awards to individuals pursuing a first teaching credential. Students
must have a bachelor’s degree and be enrolled full time in
an accredited teacher preparation program. Students awarded a fellowship
are provided with $20,000 for tuition and living costs if they agree
to teach for at least four years in a low-performing California
public school. Students enrolled in intern or preintern programs
are not eligible for the fellowships, and fellows do not teach while
enrolled in their teacher preparation program.
Funding
The program received a sizable increase in funding during the 2001–02
fiscal year; however, the program has been suspended for 2002–03.
Instead, funds will be used to allow the California Student Aid
Commission to increase the number of agreements granted under the
Assumption Program of Loans for Education.
Funding for Governor’s
Teaching Fellowship
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Fiscal Year
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Funding (in millions)
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Number of Awards
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2000–01
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$3.5
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250
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2001–02
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$21.1
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944
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2002–03
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$0
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0
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Participation
The first 250 fellows received their fellowships in March 2001.
These fellows were distributed evenly among The California State
University, The University of California, and independent colleges
and universities, and two-thirds were enrolled in a multiple-subject
credential program. By the end of the 2000–01 fiscal year,
54 percent of fellows were employed in low-performing schools, 24
percent were still completing their credential program (all of whom
anticipated completing their credential program no later than summer
2002), 16 percent were on a temporary leave of absence, and 5 percent
declined the fellowship or withdrew from the program. The teachers
completing the program were employed in 25 counties across California,
with the majority of the fellows working in Los Angeles or Alameda
counties. The fellows taught in elementary schools (57 percent),
middle schools (16 percent) and high schools (27 percent).
Additional Resources
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