How to Apply

Please note: We strongly encourage candidates to apply as early as possible. DTF runs a rolling admissions process, and our interview events tend to fill up quickly. The sooner that an application is submitted, the sooner candidates receive their subject-area assignment and invitation to interview (if applicable). Additionally, applying early in the season ensures that candidates have the most time to prepare for and pass the required test.

Apply by our extended final application deadline: Saturday, April 14th. However, since our admissions are rolling, you are encouraged to apply immediately to be considered for our first interviews.

Interested in applying?  There are seven steps:

1. Read this website carefully.

2. Check your eligibility status.

Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements to be considered for the program, so please make sure that you're eligible before you apply.

3. Apply Now!

 Applying is easy by creating an account and using our online application. A complete application includes the electronic application form, your résumé, and responses to three Application Questions. Your application will only be reviewed when all these elements are completed. You should take particular care with your responses to each of the Application Questions as they enable us to evaluate your writing and critical thinking skills, and more importantly, to gain a sense of your commitment to teaching high-need students in Denver. You must provide a 200 - 400 word response for each of the questions below:  

1)       Nearly all Fellows are hired to teach in high-need schools that are located in low-income communities. Why do you want to teach in a high-need school in Denver?  What challenges do you expect, and what experiences have prepared you to teach in a high-need school?

2)       You are a first year teacher in a high-needs school, with two months left until the end of the academic year. You implement fun and engaging activities in class and offer tutoring 3-4 times a week; however, one third of your students failed the last grading period. Several of these students consistently break established classroom rules by listening to their iPods, not turning in work, or engaging in off-topic conversation. Many of your students worry that because of all the distractions in class, they will not be prepared to pass the end-of-year standardized exam, which is required to move to the next grade level. You reach out to your principal for help. The principal states that other teachers with the same level of  experience are more effective and you assure her that you already reached out to them, as well as more experienced teachers, for advice. She asks you what is going on in your class, and what you plan to do about it.  

• What are the likely causes of the challenges in your classroom?  
• Explain your top two priorities for addressing these challenges, including why you chose these priorities.  
• What is the likelihood you could ensure high academic achievement for all of your students, and why?

3)       Briefly describe a time when you achieved a goal in the face of challenges or while balancing multiple responsibilities.  What steps did you take to ensure you would meet your goal, and how will that experience contribute to your ability to be successful with your students?

4. Register and take the PLACE or PRAXIS II test.

 Fellows must pass the PLACE or Praxis II test prior to summer institute. Therefore Fellows must pass the exam no later than May 1, 2012, in order to start institute and continue with the DTF program. You can learn more about these exams by visiting the Testing Requirements section of this website. Candidates are strongly encouraged to register and take the test as soon as possible. Note that individuals must take and pass this exam to teach in Colorado, regardless of whether or not you are ultimately admitted into DTF. In the past, failure to take and pass required tests within the required timeframe has prevented candidates from starting institute and continuing with the DTF program. It is therefore imperative that you are proactive about registering and taking the required test. Please note that the only candidates exempt from this test requirement are math candidates who hold over 24 semester credit hours in math. If you are unsure if you meet this credit requirement, you are encouraged to register for and pass the math test.

5. Request your transcripts.

 If you are invited to an in-person Interview Event, you will be required to bring an official (sealed) transcript from every college or university that you attended. Two additional official transcripts will be needed if you are accepted into the program. Because it often takes several weeks to process requests for official transcripts, we recommend that you request all three official transcripts from each school you attended upon submitting your application to the program. Please note: Graduates of foreign universities must have transcripts evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation agency. Please visit the Eligibility Requirements section for additional information.  

6. Schedule your initial phone interview (select candidates only).

 Candidates who demonstrate strong potential to be effective teachers will be invited to participate in an initial phone interview via email notification. The phone  interview is the first of the two-part interview process and is designed to assess candidates’ attitudes and potential to become an effective educator. Phone interviews are approximately 25 minutes long. 

7. Attend your final in-person Interview Event (select candidates only).

 Candidates who demonstrate strong potential to be effective teachers during their phone interview will be invited to participate in a final in-person Interview Event via email notification. In addition to bringing official transcripts to an interview event, you are also required to bring proof of test registration or to the event. If you’ve already taken and passed the test prior to your in-person interview, you are required to bring a copy of your score report.  Interview Events are designed to give us a strong sense of candidates’ attitudes and the talents they would bring to the classroom. Participants will be asked to: Teach a five-minute demonstration lesson; Discuss a classroom scenario with other candidates; Provide a written response to an educational issue; Engage in a one-on-one interview

8. Wait for a Decision.

 Admission to Denver Teaching Fellows is highly competitive and will be based on the strengths of the submitted application materials and successful participation in an Interview Event. All interviewees will be notified of their status within two weeks after their interview date.  

We understand that being denied admission can be a disappointment, and it is natural to want to know the reasons behind the decision. Unfortunately, because of the large number of applications we receive, we cannot accommodate requests for personalized feedback on individual applications.