Bridgeport Public Schools And Sacred Heart University Team Up To Reduce Teacher Vacancies

BRIDGEPORT, CT — Bridgeport Public Schools has reduced its teacher vacancies from more than 135 at the end of the 2025-26 school year to 28, as the district continues recruitment efforts and expands its partnership with Sacred Heart University.

Of the 28 remaining vacancies, eight are in special education. The district is holding open teacher interviews every Thursday at Bridgeport City Hall, 45 Lyon Terrace, Room 324, as part of its ongoing recruitment efforts.

The district is also working with Sacred Heart University through the Teachers@Heart Residency Program, which provides aspiring educators with classroom experience while they pursue master's degrees and Connecticut teacher certification.

"Our teachers are the heart of Bridgeport Public Schools, and investing in them is an investment in our students," Interim Superintendent Dr. Royce Avery said. "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 residency program provides approximately 1,400 hours of classroom experience over 40 weeks, compared with approximately 450 hours through traditional student teaching. Participants work alongside experienced Bridgeport teachers while completing their graduate studies.

Over the past six years, 31 mentor teachers have helped prepare 38 aspiring educators through the program. An additional 11 residents joined this fall.

"They get to experience their first year and all those problems alongside a master mentor," said Michael Brosnan, the district's development and partnership coordinator. "They don’t have to go through it alone."

Residents who successfully complete the program are guaranteed teaching positions in Bridgeport Public Schools. In return, they commit to working in the district for at least three years, with tuition reimbursed incrementally during that period.

Brosnan developed the program with Dr. René Roselle of Sacred Heart University. The partnership has since expanded to include a special education certification pathway aimed at addressing staffing shortages in that area.

Brosnan recently received the Exemplary PK-20 Boundary Spanner Award from the National Association for School-University Partnerships for his work developing partnerships between public schools and higher education.

The district continues to recruit teachers through its weekly open interviews while using the residency program to prepare educators for long-term positions in Bridgeport schools.

Teachers interested in district openings can register for Thursday's open interviews here.