1. Read this website!
Before you do anything else, read through the material on this website carefully. Familiarize yourself with the details of the program. Philadelphia Teaching Fellows also holds regular information sessions for individuals interested in applying to the program.

To register for an information session, click here.

2. Check your eligibility status.
Applicants to the program must meet a number of eligibility requirements in order to be considered. Make sure that you're eligible!

3. Apply Now!
Applying is easy via our online application. You can complete your application form and submit your resume and Application Questions electronically.

On the application form, candidates are asked to provide contact information, demographic information, information about eligibility, teaching preferences, academic and professional backgrounds, and other valuable data.

The Application Questions should address the following three questions in 200 - 400 words each (600-1,200 total words).

• Nearly all Fellows are placed in 'high-need' schools that are located in low-income communities. Why do you want to teach specifically in a high-need school?

• The most important responsibility of a teacher is to ensure high academic achievement for all students. Describe a skill or ability that you have that will help you reach this goal. Please provide an example of how you have effectively used this skill or ability in the past.

• Teaching Fellows will face new and significant challenges during their first year of teaching. Describe a professional, personal or academic challenge you have overcome, and how that experience will contribute to your success as a Teaching Fellow.

This Application Questions provides us with information not captured elsewhere in the application. We use the Application Questions to evaluate your writing and critical thinking skills, and more importantly, to gain a sense of your commitment to teaching students in the School District of Philadelphia.

Applicants are also asked to upload a current resume. Starting with your most recent position, please list your positions of employment. You should include self-employment, internships, part-time jobs and other paid positions.

Please describe your responsibilities and the dates of employment for each position.

We are now accepting applications for our 2009 Summer program. Please click here to apply.


4. Register for the Praxis.
In order to be admitted into the program, candidates must take and pass the Praxis Examination, a credentialing test administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). For details about the test and specific requirements, see the section of this website entitled Testing Requirements. You may also visit the ETS website for Pennsylvania requirements. Applicants are strongly encouraged to register and take the Praxis tests as soon as possible, though passing scores will not be required until the start of the Training Institute.

Praxis I Registration:

Please register for all three portions of the Praxis I as soon as possible. The Praxis I is a a computerized test and is given on a daily basis.

Praxis II registration deadlines:

5. Request your transcripts.
If selected for an interview, candidates will be required to bring at least one transcript, official or unofficial, from every college and university attended as part of their interview materials. Photocopies are acceptable at this point. Please do not send or fax transcripts to our office before this interview date.*

If you are accepted to the program, you must submit an additional two official (sealed) copies of your transcripts from each institution before the Training Institute begins. Because it often takes colleges and universities several weeks to process requests for official transcripts, we recommend that you request transcripts at the time of your application submission. Please also request that the the college/university print your name on the outside of the envelopes of all sealed transcripts for our identification purposes.

*Unfortunately, we are unable to return transcripts once they have been submitted – even if an applicant is not admitted to the program.

6. Attend an interview event.
(Invited applicants only)

Applicants whose materials demonstrate their strong potential to be an excellent new teacher will be invited to participate in an interview event. We will closely review all resumes and personal statements from eligible applicants. Applicants will be notified of their interview status within about two weeks of receipt of the complete application.

The interview event will include a teaching sample, a discussion group with other candidates, a writing exercise, and a personal interview. Applicants who are invited to interview will be provided with additional information at the time of invitation. Interviews are group events where candidates will be allowed to choose from pre-determined dates and times. Once a candidate signs up for an interview date, the expectation is that the candidate will show up for that interview day. Unfortunately, individual requests for other times cannot be accommodated.

7. Wait for a decision.
Based on the strengths of the submitted application materials and interview event, the School District of Philadelphia will decide whether or not an applicant is accepted into the district as a Philadelphia Teaching Fellow.

All interviewees for the Summer Program will be notified of their status by March 2009.

We understand that being denied admission can be a disappointment, and it is natural to want to know the reasons behind the district’s decision.

However, because of the large number of applications we anticipate receiving, we cannot accommodate requests for personalized feedback on individual applications.

8. Complete School District Processing Requirements.
Before Fellows can be admitted into the program, they must provide the following documentation – required by the School District of Philadelphia:

• School District of Philadelphia Medical Examination Form
  (completed by your physician)
  
• Pennsylvania Criminal Record Clearance
  
• Child Abuse History Clearance
  
• FBI Criminal Check
  
• One form of photo ID
  (Driver’s license or passport)
  
• Original Social Security card
  
• PSERS – Nomination of Beneficiaries
  
• PSERS – Enrollment Application
  
• Certification Application with $40 Money Order ($80 for out-of-state applicants)

Selected Fellows will receive more information about these requirements with their admittance package following the interview.