COLORADO RURAL STUDENT TEACHING STIPEND (CRTS)
The Colorado Center for Rural Education and the Colorado Department of Higher Education encourage talented teacher candidates to student teach in Colorado rural school districts and eventually become a teacher in a Colorado rural school district. The value of the stipend is up to $4,000 for the semester of student teaching. Stipend recipients are expected to complete student teaching in a Colorado rural school district and then apply to and work in a rural school district.
Ready to Apply?
The Fall application timeline for this stipend is December 1 through March 31. The Spring application timeline is July 1 through October 31.
Application Requirements
Eligible Applicants Must Meet the Following Criteria:
- Be enrolled in a teacher preparation program at one of the Colorado institutes of higher education.
- Be placed in a student teaching experience within a Colorado rural school district.
- Be willing to commit to pursuing a career as a full-time teacher in a Colorado rural or small rural school district after graduation and securing a Colorado teaching license.
- Committed to teach for two years in one of the rural school districts (especially small rural school districts with less than 1000 students) that are located 50 miles or more from major metropolitan areas and outside of the Front-Range region of Colorado.
- Have completed all requirements for their undergraduate degree and educator licensing program except the student teaching experience.
- Have an earned GPA (cumulative grade point average) of 2.75 out of 4.00 or above.
- Be committed to maintain communications with the Colorado Center of Rural Education staff during the student teaching period to share experiences, complete surveys, and provide a letter from the university student teaching supervisor verifying the student has successfully completed the student teaching requirement in a Colorado rural school district.
Selection and Award Process
If the number of applications exceeds the amount of available funding provided by Colorado’s General Assembly, stipend recipients will be selected using a random lottery draw and by CDE region. The total amount is allocated by CDE region.
