SFUSD Para To Teacher Program

The Paraeducator to Teacher Program (PTTP) is a teacher pipeline program for SFUSD employees. The goal of the program is to recruit and support SFUSD staff to become credentialed, exemplary teachers in the district’s high need areas of Special Education, Secondary Mathematics and Science and Bilingual Education. The San Francisco Paraeducator to Teacher Program is a collaboration between SFUSD, UESF, partner universities and City College of San Francisco.

Paraeducator to Teacher Program participants receive a variety of supports including:

• Admissions counseling to enroll in partner universities,

• Support to identify financial aid and clarify career goals  

• Direct contact with a HR and university representatives 

• Reimbursement of some college tuition, textbooks, fees and supplies

• Support to pass CBEST, CSET and RICA tests 

• High quality teacher preparation professional development

• Participation in a cohort of like minded and similar career stage aspiring teachers

• Access to veteran teachers

• Current SFUSD paraeducator/classified staff working with PreK-12 students.
  If not currently employed in SFUSD then visit https://careers.sfusd.edu/ for information on applying for a classified SFUSD paraprofessional educator.

• Credential goal must be in teaching in a hard to staff area: Special Education, Math, Science or Bilingual Education.

• 60 transferable units from an accredited college and/or junior level in college.

• Commitment to working in SFUSD for four years after receiving preliminary credential

The Paraeducator to Teacher Program application is meant to help you move towards your goal of applying to a credential program at your earliest opportunity. 

When completing the application consider the following:

• The application is submitted via a Google Survey, where you upload the actual application as well as the required documents

• We only need unofficial transcripts

• The letters of reference can be written directly to the admissions panel of a university credential program. The Para To Teacher Program will read them in that context.

• The 1- 3 page Letter of Intent or Statement of Purpose is meant to be a rough a draft for this program. Most credential programs will require some form of essay to enter their program. You can revise this 1-3 page essay at a later time after you are accepted in the Para To Teacher Program

• The Self Assessment video can be a one page essay if the video is problematic for you. 

• We ask you to sign up for either the CBEST or CSET to show your commitment to earning a credential. You only need to sign up for one section and do not have to pick the date of the test, just a registration is required.

• If you are having difficulty with any part of the application reach out to Sharon Zimmern to see how we can accommodate you.

• Participants in the program are expected to make progress on their own Individual Learning Plan This Individual Learning Plan is an outline of goals you set for yourself that will move you forward towards earning a teaching credential. Depending on what cohort you enter the program (see PTTP Cohort Chart) is how long you have to reach the next step in the credential pathway.

• Participants in the program are also expected to attend all Paraeducator To Teacher Program Meetings.

• Teach in SFUSD for the same number of years you received support upon completion of preliminary credential
  • ( See PTTP Agreement)