Bridgeport Public Schools is strengthening its efforts to recruit, prepare, and retain qualified educators through its partnership with Sacred Heart University and the Teachers@Heart Residency Program. At the end of the 2025–2026 school year, Bridgeport Public Schools faced more than 135 teacher vacancies. Through focused recruitment and staffing efforts, the district has reduced that number to 28 vacancies, including eight in special education. To continue this progress, the district is hosting Open Teacher Interviews every Thursday at 45 Lyon Terrace, City Hall, Room 324. Partnerships like Teachers@Heart are also an important part of the district’s long-term strategy to recruit, develop, and retain qualified educators. “Our teachers are the heart of Bridgeport Public Schools, and investing in them is an investment in our students,” said Interim Superintendent Dr. Royce Avery. “Recruiting, preparing, and retaining qualified educators remains a top priority. Partnerships like this allow us to strengthen our workforce, support our teachers, and ensure every student has the opportunities and resources they need to succeed.” The Teachers@Heart Residency Program provides aspiring educators with approximately 1,400 hours of hands-on classroom experience over 40 weeks, compared to approximately 450 hours through traditional student teaching. Residents work alongside experienced Bridgeport Public Schools teachers while earning their master’s degree and Connecticut teacher certification. Over the past six years, 31 mentor teachers have helped prepare 38 future educators, with 11 additional residents joining the program this fall. “They get to experience their first year and all those problems alongside a master mentor,” said Michael Brosnan, Bridgeport Public Schools Development and Partnership Coordinator. “They don’t have to go through it alone.” Residents who successfully complete the program are guaranteed teaching positions within Bridgeport Public Schools and commit to serving the district for at least three years, with tuition reimbursed incrementally during that period. Developed by Brosnan and Dr. René Roselle of Sacred Heart University, the program has also expanded to include a special education certification pathway to help address critical staffing needs. Brosnan recently received the Exemplary PK-20 Boundary Spanner Award from the National Association for School-University Partnerships in recognition of his leadership in strengthening partnerships between public schools and higher education. The partnership reflects Bridgeport Public Schools’ continued commitment to strengthening classroom instruction, supporting educators, and ensuring every student has access to a qualified, well-prepared teacher.
