Office of Residency

Residency is your final, year-long clinical experience in a real PK–12 classroom. You’ll work alongside a certified mentor teacher (or serve as teacher of record in MAT), gradually taking on full teaching responsibilities with support from your mentor and university supervisor. Residency bridges coursework and professional practice and is required in Louisiana for certification.

Policy (BESE Bulletin 996)

Louisiana Board of Elementary Education’s Bulletin 996: Standards for Approval of Teacher Preparation and/or Educational Leader Preparation Programs states that all Traditional Teacher Preparation Programs must have candidates complete a one-year residency in a public or approved non-public school classroom in the certification area with a teacher of record who holds a valid Level 1, 2, 3, Type A, or Type B teaching certificate in the area for which the candidate is pursuing certification. For certification in B–K, PK–3, 1–5, or 1–5 integrated to merged, candidates must spend a minimum of 80% of the residency school site’s instructional time each week engaged in residency activities. For certification in K–12, 4–8, 6–12, 4–8 integrated to merged or 6–12 integrated to merged, candidates must spend a minimum of 60% of the residency school site’s instructional time each week in the first semester and 80% in the second semester engaged in residency activities.

Resident Teacher Certificate (RTC) – Undergraduate

• Issued to candidates in an approved traditional undergraduate program.
• Complete required pre-residency coursework before the residency year.
• Pass Praxis Content and PLT exams; maintain 2.5+ GPA.
• Clear criminal background check.
• RTC valid for one year while completing the year-long residency under a certified mentor teacher.

Practitioner License – PL3 (MAT Internship)

• Enrolled in an approved Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program.
• Non-education bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Praxis content passed prior to license issuance.
• Employed as teacher of record in an approved district.
• PL3 valid for one year, renewable up to three years while completing MAT (per LDOE Bulletin 746).

• Praxis Content Exams: Scores due April 15, 2026. Praxis Louisiana Requirements
• PLT Exam: Scores due April 15, 2026. 
• Criminal Background Check: $70 due April 15, 2026. Click here for instructions on registration. If more help is needed, contact lela.murdock@sus.edu
• Louisiana Educator Certification Portal Access: Confirmation by April 15, 2026. Contact lela.murdock@sus.edu
• Academics: Maintain 2.5+ GPA and C or better in all Education courses.
• Residency Application: Due April 15, 2026 – Undergraduate Residency Application
• Start: Report TBD by first district PD day (before Fall 2026 courses begin)
• Orientation: TBA • W.W. Stewart Hall (befire Fall 2026 courses begin)

• Academic Integrity Screen (AIS) Level II
• Pre-Certification Screening
• Candidate Disposition Scale Level II
• Candidate Technology Integration Survey Level II
• Technology Proficiency Self-Assessment
• Multicultural Survey

• B–K, PK–3, 1–5: 80% instructional time weekly (4 days per week minimum).
• K–12, 4–8, 6–12: 60% (Semester I; 3 days per week); 80% (Semester II; 4 days per week).

Residents must submit a weekly Residency Reflection Log including key activities, reflections, and growth steps.