Pathways to Teaching
We believe that everyone has the potential to become an exceptional educator with the right support. DSST has multiple pathways into the classroom! Check out the different programs below to find a pathway that’s right for you. We’d love to help you find a fit! Please contact humancapital@scienceandtech.org with any questions.
Teacher Licensure Pathways
- Year-long paid apprenticeship with 1:1 mentorship from a Math, Science, or STEM Elective Teacher
- Cohort of fellow apprentice teachers
- Enrollment in Relay Graduate School of Education
- Outcome: Alternative teaching license (1 year), with the option to continue for a 2nd year to earn a Master’s of Arts in Education
- For more details about this role, click here.
- Multiple pathways to teaching, tailored to your support needs: Learn more
- Train at DSST as a Traditional Resident, working alongside a mentor teacher for a full year
- Receive guidance from expert coaches and instructors dedicated to your success
- 81% of PEBC Residents remain in the teaching profession after five years
- Earn transferable credits toward a master’s degree and access five years of professional development through PEBC
- A lead teaching role, including IEP case management from Day 1
- Enrollment in CU Denver’s ASPIRE licensure program (tuition fully covered by DSST)
- Commitment to working as a SpEd Teacher for a minimum of 2 years
- Outcome: Colorado Special Education Teaching License
- For more details about this role, please see this application
Reach University is an accredited, nonprofit university offering bachelor’s degrees for school employees. Built for working adults, the program allows candidates to earn college credit while working at a partner K-12 district, such as DSST. Online seminars are scheduled after work hours.
Thanks to generous grants and scholarships, DSST is able to offer employees this pathway to a degree at no cost through 2026.
- Employment in a full time role at DSST as a Front Office Staff, Campus Support Teacher, or Paraprofessional (apply separately)
- Enrollment in REACH University’s bachelor degree program (tuition fully covered by DSST)
- Work with students for 15 hours per week
- 1:1 mentorship
- Outcome: Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts with a focus on classroom teaching (timeline dependent on credits needed)
- For more details about this role, please see this interest application
- Once accepted in TFA Colorado’s program, you will be invited to interview with different schools. We hope you will consider DSST for your placement school! We have a robust TFA alumni network here and love to support new corps members.
- A lead teaching role
- Enrollment in CU Denver’s ASPIRE to Teach or Relay Graduate School of Education’s licensure program
- Commitment to working as a teacher in your placement school for a minimum of 2 years
- Additional development & support from TFA Colorado
- Outcome: Colorado Teaching License
- For more details about this role, please see TFA’s Website
- Enrollment in a traditional teacher prep program
- Placement at a DSST school for field experience or student teaching
- Outcome: Colorado Teaching License
- For more details about a placement at DSST, please see this interest application
Other New Educator Resources
Interested in exploring what it would be like to be a classroom teacher? We highly recommend these partners to support you in your journey!
After submitting an application with us, we encourage you to connect with our partners at TEACH Colorado who have created free tools and services that help future teachers like you navigate the process of becoming a teacher. Sign up to get:
- An interactive tool to compare teaching programs
- Up to $1,100 in financial aid to help you apply and enroll
- 1-on-1 expert advice for any question along the way
- How-to guides for applying, testing, resumes, cover letters, and more!
Complete a Summer Teaching Fellowship to gain valuable experience either through Breakthrough Collaborative or Generation Teach. These organizations have summer opportunities in Denver but also are located in various cities nationally.
Leadership Pipelines
Once you're a DSST team member, we offer multiple leadership development programs so you can develop your skills. We want to support you to grow at DSST and beyond.
The Emerging Leaders Program at DSST is a year-long experience designed to provide meaningful professional learning to current DSST teacher leaders. In addition to developing skills, habits, mindsets and dispositions that will immediately serve them in their current role, this internal program is designed to prepare DSST teacher leaders to step into school leadership roles such as Dean of Students or Director of Curriculum & Instruction.
The DSST Advanced Leader Cohort is an internal, yearlong program that serves to advance the leadership practices and understanding of campus level leaders (Associate School Directors, Deans, Directors of Curriculum & Instruction, etc.), so that they are prepared to move into the School Director in Training (SDiT) Program and/or have a clear understanding of the growth in leadership they need to be successful moving into a higher level of leadership at DSST Public Schools.
The School Director in Training (SDiT) Program serves as DSST’s two-year advanced leadership development pathway for rising School Directors and is open to both internal and external candidates. Our SDiTs work alongside an assigned Mentor School Director and are given development in the areas of people leadership; culture; instruction, coaching, and evaluation; and systems management. You must have at least five years of experience working in schools and classrooms and three years of experience in school-based leadership to be considered for this program.
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