The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) recruits, trains, and supports new teachers in underserved communities to ensure every student has a great teacher and a transformative education.
Great classrooms begin with passionate, highly effective teachers
Our programs leverage two decades of learning to deliver the training, coaching, and support teachers need to grow and meet their students’ unique needs
AUSL Teacher Residency
The AUSL Residency program is a one-year teacher training program for talented professionals who believe that all students deserve a quality education. Individuals who join the program receive a scholarship to obtain a Master’s degree from a university partner and obtain in-classroom experience with guidance from expert coaches and mentors.
AUSL Advisory Services
AUSL’s Advisory Services program, LiberatED Way, is a national school advisory service that provides teaching induction, instructional coaching, and community design support to help educators and schools promote whole-child success.
The Chicago Teacher Residency
AUSL’s flagship teacher residency program, The Chicago Teacher Residency, recruits and trains the next generation of high-quality teachers through a one-year teacher training program, preparing Residents to be placed in underserved, hard-to-staff positions in Chicago Public Schools.
Fast facts
89.4%
CTR graduates are still working in CPS after 3 years
1,444
Chicago Teacher Residency Alumni
78.6%
Residents train in hard-to-staff content areas
“I’m a huge, huge fan of who you are (CTR), what you are going to do, and the AUSL family. There’s nothing more important that we can do than put great teachers into the classrooms of our children across Chicago, particularly in our most underserved communities.
Our students are going to need teachers who believe in them, who see their potential, who can help them through the stress and trauma to envision a set of possibilities way beyond what the day to day reality might feel like.
Your collective commitment and courage inspire me.”
– Arne Duncan, former Secretary of Education and CEO of Chicago Public Schools, speaking at graduation on the power of the CTR to transform educational outcomes for students
Events at AUSL
AUSL improves outcomes for students through our AUSL Residency, school supports, and advisory services. Learn more or see our work in action at an upcoming event.
AUSL 2025 Annual Benefit Dinner
In the news
Donors like you allow us to provide Residents with critical supports that make their year of training possible
Public-private partnerships allow Residents to access the financial assistance, health care, and child care assistance that allow them to become effective educators committed to serving our most at-risk students.