Mississippi Teacher Residency
The Mississippi Teacher Residency is a fully funded program for aspiring teachers in elementary and special education. Participants receive tuition, books, and a stipend while working alongside experienced mentor teachers during a yearlong residency. Upon completion, they commit to two years of service in a high-need district.
License Details
Requirements
You’re eligible if you:
- Hold a non-education bachelor’s degree
- Meet one of the following:
- 21 ACT (or SAT equivalent)
- Praxis Core passing score
- 3.0 GPA on the last 60 college credit hours
- Pass the appropriate Praxis Subject Test
- The Foundations of Reading Assessment Attempt (required for Elementary Education)
Candidates seeking initial licensure in Elementary Education—now have two options to meet the reading requirement:
- Option 1: Earn a passing score on the Foundations of Reading assessment, or
- Option 2: Attempt the Foundations of Reading and complete Pathways to Proficient Reading (PPR) with a minimum score of 80%.
You’ll also need:
- Admission to a State Board-approved Teacher Residency program
- A background check
- Assignment to a district that provides a qualified mentor (with a PGS rating of 3.0 or higher)
Approved Subjects
This pathway focuses on early and special education. You can teach:
- Grades K–6 Elementary
- Grades K–12 Special Education
License Duration
- You’ll first earn a three-year Resident Teacher License
- After completing your program and service commitment, you can apply for a five-year renewable license
The three-year license can be extended in some cases (e.g., re-entry into the program), but it does not automatically lead to a standard license—you must meet all conversion requirements.
Restrictions
- You must complete a two-year teaching commitment if you receive full funding.
- If the state or federal government paid your tuition, you’ll be placed in a critical shortage area.
- If your district funded your participation, you’ll commit to teaching in that district.
- You cannot skip steps—the license requires formal program completion, test scores, and a formal institutional recommendation.
- Even if you complete the program, you won’t receive a standard license unless all testing and placement conditions are met.
Next Steps
Learn more about the application process, program requirements and current partners on the Mississippi Department of Education site.