Louisiana continues scaling a yearlong residency model for new teachers, using deeper classroom placement and coaching than traditional student teaching. Clare Melerine, a teacher-in-residence at Joseph Davies Elementary School in St. Bernard Parish, described the approach as helping students and providing structured, high-touch preparation. The residency requirement aims to reduce new-teacher turnover by lengthening pre-service experience and increasing mentor support inside K-12 classrooms. Districts and charter schools also compete for residents, offering bonuses on top of state stipends to address recruitment challenges tied to low pay and rural location constraints. University of New Orleans program coordinators said the residency pipeline has become a competitive recruiting channel, influencing how teacher preparation and district hiring align in real time.