Master Teaching Fellows Program

What

The Master Teaching Fellows (MTF) program helps multilingual professionals earn their initial teaching certificate with secondary and bilingual endorsements. 

This is a 17-month partnership between Highline Public Schools and Western Washington University that follows a residency model⎯⎯candidates work in the district as Annual Substitute Teachers while completing internship experiences with a mentor teacher, and participating in a 6-quarter Master in Teaching Program with a Multilingual Education emphasis.

The MTF Program centers dual language settings and leads to a WA State Residency First Issue Certificate, World Language endorsement in grades 6-12 (by the end of quarter 5 of the program) and a Masters in Teaching degree (by the end of the final 6th quarter of the program). 

Who

Master Teaching Fellows are Annual Substitute Teachers in Highline Public Schools. The program is available to current employees and new applicants. 

The fellows are bi/multilingual professionals who… 

• Demonstrate a high level of language skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing in English and an additional language (i.e., Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali)
• Are passionate about becoming secondary-level teachers in dual-language settings
• Hold a Bachelor's degree in an endorsable subject prior to start of the program, such as:
  • World Language (Spanish and Vietnamese)
  • Social Studies
• Are working towards an initial teaching certificate**  

When

University courses start in March 2025 and Fellows begin working as a substitute in September 2025.

Where

Master Teaching Fellows are placed in middle and high schools throughout our district. Western Washington University courses are taken online and in-person at the Puget Sound Educational Service District in Renton, WA. 

Why

Highline Public Schools has a bold goal that all students will graduate bilingual and biliterate, and seeks to recruit bi/multilingual professionals from our community.  This program will provide fellows the opportunity to learn and grow with colleagues at Highline and develop in-depth understandings of the role of cultural and linguistic diversity in each student’s education and an ability to use research-based instruction when teaching in Spanish, Vietnamese, or Somali. 

How

Master Teaching Fellows work in Annual Substitute Teacher roles, maintaining a salary with benefits. Along with their work as Annual Substitute Teachers, they will work in collaboration with a mentor teacher for a full year, practicing and deepening their study with Western Washington University. 

Program Tuition Estimates

Western WA University will provide financial aid advising and resources.

Pay Rate Information

Fellows will be compensated as follows, reflective of a 0.64 FTE contract. Compensation will be a percentage of Base Salary, not to include Professional Learning and Enrichment (PLE).

Highline Education Associate (HEA) Salary Schedule

 

**This does not include Pre-Residency Clearance, Substitute Teaching Certificate, Intern Substitute Teacher Certificate or Emergency Substitute Teacher Certificate.