Resident Educator FAQs

General Questions

Mentor Questions

Program Coordinator Questions

Career-Technical License Question

Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA)

General Questions

    When does the Resident Educator two-year program take effect?
    The Resident Educator two-year program takes effect beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

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    What changes do schools and districts make to their local Resident Educator Program in the 2022-2023 school year?
    There are no changes to be made to the local Resident Educator program in the 2022-2023 school year. The school or district should continue to follow the local Resident Educator 4-year program requirements, policies, and procedures. 

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    When do schools and districts need to update their local Resident Educator Program requirements, policies, and procedures in anticipation of the two-year program?
    Schools and districts should review their local Resident Educator Program’s requirements, policies, and procedures beginning in the 2022-2023 school year and make any changes regarding the change from a four-year to a two-year program effective for the 2023-2024 school year. Schools and districts should create a plan for updating their local RE Program policies and procedures in consultation with their administrators, local school board, and school treasurer; if applicable, the district’s collective bargaining agreement should be reviewed. 

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    What are the requirements of the two-year Resident Educator Program, effective for the 2023-2024 school year?
    The two-year Resident Educator Program will continue to provide resident educators with mentoring by a trained mentor and counseling (similar to what was provided to resident educators in the first two years of the four-year program); and resident educators must attempt the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA) in the second year of the program and be assigned a trained RESA facilitator. The Resident Educator Mentor and the Resident Educator Facilitator may be the same person if that individual meets the local requirements of the two positions and has received the specified trainings.

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    What are the requirements of the four-year Resident Educator Program, effective for the 2022-2023 school year?

    The Ohio Resident Educator (RE) Program is a four-year induction system of support and mentoring for new teachers. Successful completion of the residency program is required to qualify for a five-year professional educator license. Click here for the Annual Resident Educator Program Requirements for each year of the program.


    Resident Educators work collaboratively with their mentor to complete the local RE Program requirements for Years 1 and 2 by:

    • Using the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System forms for self-assessment and goal-setting
    • Demonstrating use of authentic teacher work, such as lesson plans and student assessment data analysis
    • Reflecting on teacher work that shows the continual implementation of the “Plan, Teach, Assess, Reflect, Revise” teaching-learning cycle
    • Participating in Instructional mentoring and Focused Mentoring I and II
    • Analyzing student work
    Additionally, Resident Educators complete the following:
    • Successfully complete the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA) to become eligible to advance to professional licensure
    • Engage in learning and professional development activities as determined by the district or school

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    Who is eligible to participate in the Ohio Resident Educator (RE) Program?

    To be eligible to participate in the Resident Educator Program, educators must meet all eligibility requirements listed on this webpage: https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Teaching/Resident-Educator-Program/Program-Eligibility-Requirements. 

    Teachers hired as substitutes or tutors are considered eligible for the Resident Educator Program if they meet the criteria listed on the page linked above.
     
    Individuals teaching career-technical courses under an alternative resident educator workforce development license or a provisional license for career-technical workforce development are exempt from participating in the local Resident Educator Program.

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    When does the Resident Educator (RE) Program registration process begin?

    Between August 1 and November 15 of each year (dates may vary), the program coordinator (PC) for the district/school will register eligible REs in the ODE CORE database. The PC will also report at the end of each year if the RE completed the local and state requirements for that year.  REs can verify the data entered by their PCs via “My RE Summary” by logging into their OH|ID account.
     
    NOTE:  Annually, the district/school’s PC must register each eligible RE in CORE. REs who are eligible for the program are required to take the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA) in year 3 (or in year 2 upon consultation with their local program coordinator and mentor based on local policies and procedures). If the teacher is not successful, the PC will register the RE for RESA in subsequent years.
     
    NOTE:  If REs do not successfully complete the state and local requirements of their Resident Educator Program in a program year, then they will be marked as “no” for completion criteria for that year and will not receive credit for that program year.  When resident educators are registered for the following year, they must repeat the program year that they did not complete successfully.

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    Are educators entering Ohio’s teaching profession from out-of-state required to complete the Ohio Resident Educator Program?

    Out-of-state teachers entering Ohio’s teaching profession with fewer than three years of teaching experience and who meet the program eligibility requirements are required to participate in and complete the Ohio Resident Educator Program in order to advance to the 5-year professional license. 

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    What happens if a resident educator transfers to another school or district during the school year?

    Registration is portable from one school to another district/school within Ohio. Resident Educators (REs) should meet with their program coordinator (PC) to ensure that they are enrolled at their new school or district and that their CORE registration indicates the correct school and program year.

    PCs are responsible for updating registrations of REs who moved to their school, and REs are responsible for keeping all documentation of the work they have completed with their mentors (e.g., lesson plans, collaborative logs, focused mentoring activities).

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    Can resident educators (REs) advance their licenses early after they have successfully passed the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA)?

    Resident educators cannot advance their licenses until all four program years have been successfully completed; however, districts/schools may grant one or two years of credit for prior teaching experience to eligible teachers. See this page for more information: https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Teaching/Resident-Educator-Program/Credit-for-Teaching-Experience-Toward-Residency. 

    REs who hold alternative resident educator licenses are required to teach four years under their alternative licenses; therefore, they are not eligible to advance their teaching license early, even with prior years of teaching credit. 

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    Can teachers earn credit for prior teaching experience toward residency?

    Individuals with out-of-state teaching experience or Ohio teaching experience under certain circumstances may be given consideration for credit toward the Resident Educator Program. See the webpage on credit for teaching experience to learn more about why and how program coordinators may grant credit.

    Teachers who come to Ohio with three or more years of out-of-state teaching experience should work with the Office of Educator Licensure to determine if they are eligible to apply for the 5-year professional educator license. Please see the webpage on out-of-state licensure to learn more.

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Mentor Questions

    What support does the Department provide for Resident Educator Program Mentors?
    The Ohio Department of Education supports the Mentor Academy Training, the on-line Learning Management System resident educator program courses, and the Teacher Leadership Summit. 

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    Will Resident Educator Mentors trained for the four-year program be required to attend additional training for the two-year program?
    All new Resident Educator Mentors are required to complete the 12-hour Mentor Academy training before they mentor resident educators. 

    Mentors trained prior to the 2023-2024 school year will not be required to attend additional training. However, it is recommended that mentors trained five or more years ago complete the following two Learning Management System courses found on the Department’s website: Advanced Mentor Training, and Exploring Teacher Leadership.

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    Can administrators serve as resident educator mentors?
    No. The resident educator mentor should be a peer. The mentoring process is for the purpose of professional growth and eventual professional licensure, not an evaluative process for the purpose of employment. Every effort should be made to keep the formative assessment occurring in the resident educator (RE) program separate from the teacher evaluation conducted by the site administrator. For more information on the role of school administrators in the RE Program, please see the RE program standards.

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    What are the requirements to serve as a mentor?

    To participate in the program as a mentor, individuals must meet the following qualifications:

    • Hold or have previously held (e.g., retired teachers) a 5-year professional license, senior professional, lead professional or permanent license
    • Successfully completed the RE Mentor Academy Days 1 and 2

    Along with these qualifications, the district/school may have additional requirements such as a mentor application process or targeted training. Local districts/schools will make the decision on who is selected to be a mentor based on their local criteria.

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    What is Focused Mentoring and what resources are available to Mentors?
    Focused mentoring was added as a component of the Resident Educator Program in the 2017-2018 school year. While mentoring overall addresses the instructional support resident educators need as they begin their professional teaching careers, focused mentoring is specific and targeted to address teacher competencies. Focused mentoring is delivered in two parts; the first part focuses on communication, collaboration and professional growth, and the second part focuses on formative and summative assessment. The Department also offers two courses in the Learning Management System (LMS) that address focused mentoring.

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    When are Resident Educator Mentor Academy Day 1 and Day 2 training sessions for mentors available?

    Resident Educator Mentor Academy Day 1 and Day 2 trainings vary; most are scheduled from June through November. Registration is open in the Training and Registration application (STARS) through the OH|ID account; search keywords resident or mentor.

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    What is the cost of the mentor training?
    The cost for each one-day session of mentor training is determined locally. Check the contact information for the specific session provided in the Training and Registration application (STARS) of the OH|ID platform for information about the exact amount and how the payment is to be made and to whom. The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) does not manage these trainings. Do not make a payment to or draw purchase orders for ODE.

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Program Coordinator Questions

    Can a district choose not to register a resident educator who meets eligibility requirements for the Resident Educator Program?

    No. Ohio Administrative Code 3301-24-04 states that any entity that employs a resident educator, either directly or pursuant to a contract, shall be required to provide a four-year resident educator program; and Ohio Revised Code 3319.223 states that teachers holding a resident educator license or alternative resident educator license shall participate in the Resident Educator Program. Additionally, districts should have specific Resident Educator Program policies and procedures in place approved by local boards of education outlining this requirement. In rare cases when a resident educator may have a serious, extended family crisis, military deployment or medical situation, program coordinators are encouraged to work with Department Resident Educator Program staff to discuss available registration options.

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    Are leadership activities required in year 4 of the Resident Educator Program?
    The Resident Educator Program is a four-year program. Local district and school policies and procedures determine the year 4 activities. Those districts and schools that include a leadership component will find an optional Exploring Teacher Leadership course on the Department’s Learning Management System (LMS).

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Career-Technical License Question

    Are educators teaching career-technical courses under alternative resident educator workforce development licenses or teaching under the 2-Year provisional career-technical workforce development license exempt from the local Resident Educator Program requirements and the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA)?
    Yes. These educators are exempt from participating in the local Resident Educator Program and the RESA. The district’s resident educator program coordinator will not register these educators in CORE.

    All other educators teaching career-technical courses and all other educators teaching under the alternative resident educator license do participate in the local Resident Educator Program and the RESA.

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Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA)

    What changes are anticipated to be made to the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA)?
    None. At this time, the requirements of the RESA submission will remain the same for the 2022-2023 school year and the 2023-2024 school year.

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    How many times can an educator attempt the Resident Educator Summative Assessment?

    Ohio Administrative Code 3301-24-04(D) states that resident educators “…shall be permitted no more than three total attempts to successfully complete the performance-based assessment.”

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    What counts as an “attempt” to pass the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA)?

    An attempt will be counted if:

    • a resident educator is eligible for the Resident Educator Program and is registered for the RESA in year 2 (upon consultation with program coordinator and mentor based on local policies and procedures), or
    • a resident educator is eligible for the Program and registered in year 3 or beyond and has not yet passed the RESA
    A registered RESA candidate who does not submit an assessment in the year they are registered receives a Not Passed score which counts as one attempt.

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    Are all program year 3 resident educators required to take the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA)?
    Resident educators registered in program year 3 in CORE must take the RESA if they have not already received a passing score for the assessment per Ohio Revised Code 3319.223(A)(3). If a resident educator does not submit the RESA in year 3, the program coordinator enters Not Complete for the year and the resident educator repeats year 3.

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    Can the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA) be taken in year 2 of the Resident Educator Program?
    Yes, local policies and procedures may permit a year 2 resident educator to participate in the RESA upon consultation with their local program coordinator and mentor. Resident educators who do take the RESA in year 2 are also required to participate in mentoring. Resident educators who successfully complete RESA in year 2 are still required to complete the four years of the Resident Educator Program. For these resident educators, activities for year 3 are determined locally.

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    If a school board elects not to conduct an evaluation of an educator who is taking the RESA for the first time, how would the district indicate this?
    The district will indicate “exemption” in the OhioES. This exemption option is a one-time exemption per educator, and the educator will be due for a full evaluation the following year. Consult the OhioES Help Page if needed: https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Teaching/Educator-Evaluation-System/OhioES-Help.

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Last Modified: 8/18/2022 9:10:51 AM