What is an Internship?

Internships allow an individual to be the teacher of record while completing an accredited professional preparation program. University internships are cooperative programs between a university and an employing school district that are administered by the university. Internship programs result in a preliminary or professional clear credential. To be eligible for an internship program, a candidate must have passed both the basic skills competency test (CBEST) and a subject matter knowledge exam (MSAT) or a program of subject matter (Praxis II and SSAT) and corresponding preparation courses.

What is a Pre-Internship?

California also has a pre-internship program. It is designed to provide support and assistance to individuals who still need to meet the subject-matter requirement before entering an internship program. Candidates must have passed the basic skills competency test (CBEST).

What kind of background do I need to have?

San José Teaching Fellows is an initiative of San José Unified School District to draw a new stream of high performing individuals into the classrooms that need them the most.  The San José Teaching Fellows is designed for individuals without an education background.  It is a highly selective program that is looking for professionals who can demonstrate leadership and achievement.  Applicants should have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0.  Some candidates with exceptional records of achievement may be considered even if their GPA is between 2.7-3.0.

How long is this commitment?

How much will I be paid?

Those accepted into the program will receive a first-year, pre-credentialed teacher's salary of $36,735. Individuals with advanced degrees will receive an additional compensation supplement. 

What other benefits will I be eligible for?

As a SJUSD employee, Fellows will receive full medical coverage and excellent dental coverage for themselves and their family members, free life insurance, free income protection plan, retirement plan, and access to three credit unions.

Materials should be submitted to ONE of the following Application Round Deadlines: 

Deadline One: February 8, 2002
Deadline Two: March 8, 2002
Deadline Three: March 28, 2002

San José Teaching Fellows will have three deadlines. As SJTF will fill only have a finite number of positions to fill, early applications may have an advantage over later applications.

To apply to the San José Teaching Fellows program, please submit a completed application form, one-page cover letter and résumé, including undergraduate GPA, and a copy of academic transcripts. To download the application form, click here. The cover letter should thoroughly address the following: (1) why you want to become a teacher, (2) why you want to teach in under-resourced schools, and (3) how your experiences demonstrate your potential to be a successful educator in San José Unified School District. Academic transcripts should be requested from all post-secondary schools attended; unofficial copies will be accepted with the initial application if official copies are not available, however, if selected to the program, official transcripts will be required.

Outstanding candidates will be invited to participate in an interview day, which includes a sample teaching lesson, group discussion of relevant issues in education, a writing sample exercise, and a personal interview.  Applicants will be contacted regarding their application status within two weeks of the receipt of their complete application. 

At the end of June all Fellows will start pre-classroom training.  The training will last through early August.  Classroom start dates depend on placement; however, most Fellows will begin teaching at the end of August. 

As a Fellow you will receive intensive pre-service training that includes:

•       Practice teaching under the supervision of a Teacher Coach in San José Summer Schools
•       Seminars and professional development activities on the theories and practices of teaching
•       Workshops covering subject specific information
•       On-site guidance from experienced teachers
•        Discussions and activities around the challenges of teaching in an urban system

Will I be paid over the summer?

Fellows will not be placed on the district payroll until they begin teaching in the fall.  We are currently working on obtaining funding in order to offer Fellows stipends during their summer training. 

Fellows will be placed in the public schools of San José Unified School District at all grade levels.  Location and grade determination will be based on the qualifications of each Fellow and the needs of the district. 

Class size in lower elementary classrooms (K-3) is 20 students on average. Upper elementary, middle, and high school classes average 30 students.

Yes, there will be both bilingual and special education positions available.  Specialized training will be provided for both of these areas.

The school day for teachers is about six-and-a-half hours long and usually begins by 7:30 or 8:00 a.m., though exact times vary by school site.  Teachers devote additional time to planning lessons, gathering materials, and grading papers. 

Once I start teaching, what then?
Once in the classroom, Fellows continue to learn and grow as teachers through:

• An accelerated certification program through a university partner
• Ongoing support and guidance from District Facilitator
• Coaches for individualized assistance
• Opportunities for ongoing professional development with other SJUSD teachers
• Opportunities to observe and be observed by master teachers
• Opportunities to collaborate with Fellows cohort in credentialing courses

We will work to ensure that Fellows are clustered with other Fellows in the same school. However, because school placements occur after Fellows are selected, Fellows may not know their specific teaching assignments before accepting the job offer.

We are planning to hire between 125-150 Fellows, so apply early! 

Applicants need either to be US citizens, permanent resident of the United States or have a work visa. 

No. 

What if I am on a J-1 Visa?

Candidates who have their J-1 visas are encouraged to apply. However, the school district will not pay any fees associated with the reapplication of the visa. The district can recommend an attorney a candidate can hire to facilitate the process, but does not provide any financial support for the process.

What if my undergraduate transcripts are from educational institutions outside the U.S.?

Undergraduate transcripts are necessary for evaluation of credentialing requirements. Foreign transcripts MUST be translated to U.S. equivalents and a U.S. grade point average (GPA) must be issued. To order an evaluation of your transcript, contact Education Records Evaluation Service at or After transcripts are evaluated, please have them and the ERES evaluation sent to the San José Teaching Fellows Program.

What if I am applying from outside of the U.S.?

Unfortunately, program costs and timeline limit us to only consider applicants who are currently residents of the United States.

Certified teachers are not eligible for this program.  San José Teaching Fellows is designed to bring people into the teaching professional who do not have previous teaching experience.  Certified teachers are encouraged to contact the SJUSD Human Resources Department to participate in the regular application process.  If interested, please visit the Human Resources website at www.sjusd.k12.ca.us or call the Human Resources department at .

All deferments will be handled on a case-by-case basis. However, it is difficult to predict the exact needs of next year’s program and we will not be able to guarantee a position for candidates who request deferment. 

There are a variety of ways to become a teacher in San José Unified Public Schools.  Please contact the Human Resources office at or visit www.sjusd.k12.ca.us for more details.

We will be holding information sessions throughout January and February and March.  Please call our information line at (408) 535-4730, or check the information session section of our website to learn the dates and locations of upcoming sessions.