Application Process

STEP 1: READ THIS WEBSITE.

Before you do anything else, carefully read through the material on this website. Familiarize yourself with the details and benefits of the program.

STEP 2: CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY.

Oakland City Teacher Corps candidates must meet a number of eligibility requirements in order to be considered. Make sure that you're eligible. Thoroughly read the Eligibility section, and if you still have questions about your specific situation, e-mail us.

STEP 3: APPLY NOW.

Applying is easy with our online application. You can complete and submit the application form, your Application Questions, and your resume electronically. To apply online, click here.  Please note that Corps Teachers are guaranteed a job to begin teaching in Oakland in the fall of 2009. 

A complete Online Application includes:

• Application Form

• Resume
• Answers to three Application Questions

Application Form

All interviews are granted based on the information provided in this form and in the uploaded answers to the three Application Questions and resume. Therefore, it is extremely important that all information is correct; all grades and coursework will be verified upon receipt of your transcripts at the Interview Event.

Please note: Candidates are allowed to begin the application form, save their work, and return at a later time to complete and submit all of their final materials.

Resume

A current resume is required in Microsoft Word 2003 (or earlier version) or PDF format.  Your resume should include but not be limited to your work history, previous achievements, and any community involvement or volunteer experience. 

Application Questions

Your responses to the Application Questions provide us with information not captured elsewhere in the application.  We use your responses to evaluate your writing and critical thinking skills, and more importantly, to gain a sense of your commitment to teaching students in the Oakland Unified School District.

We recommend that you carefully review the questions and the guidelines found on the application before responding to the Application Questions.  The Application Questions are also listed below for your reference.

1. Why do you want to teach in Oakland? Why do you want to teach specifically in a high-need school?
2. Knowing that many students in Oakland are performing below grade-level, what steps will you take throughout the year to ensure that all of your students meet grade-level standards?
3. Provide a specific example from your previous experience that effectively demonstrates your potential to increase the academic achievement of all of your students.

 STEP 4: REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS AND SUBMIT CREDENTIAL.

If selected for an interview, at the Interview Event you will be required to submit at least one official transcript from every institution attended. The undergraduate transcript should show the date that your Bachelor’s degree was conferred.  Candidates that will graduate after May 2009 should bring unofficial transcripts to the interview and send official transcripts with the degree conferred by June 30, 2009.  Please do not send transcripts before the interview date.  In rare cases, candidates who are unable to obtain official transcripts before the interview date may be permitted to mail them to the Oakland City Teacher Corps Office within one week from the date of the interview.

If accepted into OCTC, candidates must submit official (sealed) copies of transcripts from each institution which they have attended, including any community colleges, in order to finalize their enrollment in the Oakland City Teacher Corps. Please note that official transcripts are required for final admission to Oakland City Teacher Corps.  Because it often takes universities several weeks to process requests for official transcripts, we recommend that all candidates request copies of their transcripts now.

You will also be required to submit a copy of a valid teaching credential at the time of the interview.

Please note that we cannot return documents, including transcripts, after they have been submitted – even if you are not admitted to the program.

If you attended a foreign university, please review the Eligibility Requirements section for information specific to candidates with foreign transcripts.   

STEP 5: INTERVIEW.   (Invited candidates only)

Candidates who demonstrate strong potential will be invited to participate in one of our Interview Events.  The Interview Event allows the Oakland City Teacher Corps program to extend a job guarantee to accepted candidates and ensures that out-of-state and non-local applicants will not need to make multiple trips to Oakland for follow-up interviews. You will be notified of your Interview Event status within approximately two weeks of submitting a complete application.  Interview Event dates are posted on this website. Interviews include a writing sample, a dialogue with other candidates and a one-on-one personal interview with a program representative. Please note that not all applicants will be invited to interview.

STEP 6: WAIT FOR A DECISION.

OUSD will decide whether or not a candidate is accepted into the District as a Corps Teacher based on the strength of the submitted application materials and Interview Event performance. Interviewees will be notified of their admission status within two weeks of their Interview Event. At that time, accepted candidates will be given an enrollment package with additional information on Oakland City Teacher Corps and a deadline by which they will be required to enroll.


STEP 7: COMPLETE SCHOOL DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS.

Before Corps Teachers can begin training or enter an Oakland classroom in the fall, they must provide the following documentation – as required by the Oakland Unified School District:

• Employment and CCTC Background Clearance Fingerprinting(Corps Teachers are responsible for related fingerprinting fees)*
• Current Verification of Negative TB Test of Chest X-Ray Results (no more than two months old)
• I-9 Documentation for Employment Eligibility (i.e. proof of citizenship or legal residency)
• Copy of Social Security Card (must show actual social security card)
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Official Transcripts from all institutions attended**
• Proof of completion of CA basic skills requirement
• Copies of current, valid teaching credential(s)

Selected Corps Teachers will receive more information about these requirements upon acceptance into the program. However, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with California and NCLB requirements as soon as possible, to ensure that you will meet State and District requirements in a timely fashion.

Due to the competitive nature of our program, we strongly encourage you to apply early for this incredible opportunity to make a bigger impact on student achievement and in the lives of Oakland students.  

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*All new teachers to the District must pass background checks for OUSD and the CCTC (California Commission on Teacher Credentialing) prior to entering the classroom and working with students.  

**To enroll in Oakland City Teacher Corps, you must submit transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended – including community colleges.