What is the service agreement?

In exchange for RTR paying for your degree and providing an additional stipend, you will sign a document agreeing to work in a high-needs school in the school division in which you complete your residency experience for 3 years after completing the RTR program.

When and how do I sign?

The document is mailed to you as a paper copy and is emailed to you as a PDF in the late spring. You will sign the document in the presence of a notary. Notary services are typically offered for free through a bank if you are an account holder. On your bank’s website, you can register for an appointment.

How do I return the service agreement?

You have two options for returning the signed, notarized document. The first is to mail it to us. The materials you need to mail this back will be included in the envelope that is mailed to you. The second way to return the document is to scan it in and email it as a PDF attachment. Please note that if you return it electronically, all pages must be scanned, not photographed. Please ensure that you send us all of the pages, not just the signature page, regardless of which option you choose.

What if I don’t sign the service agreement?

You will not be able to begin the program if you do not return the signed, notarized service agreement by the deadline provided when you receive the document.

What if I don’t stay for the full 3 years?

If you leave before your three-year commitment is fulfilled, you will owe money back to RTR. Each year you work after completing the program, you work off one third of the total amount. For example, if RTR paid $24,000 for your tuition and additional stipend, each year you worked after graduating from the program would take $8,000 off of the repayment amount. If you graduated from RTR and chose to not begin teaching, you would owe $24,000. If you worked for one year and decided to sail around the world, you would owe $16,000. If you worked for two years and left teaching to become a dentist, you would owe $8,000. If you worked for three years and left teaching to become an actor, you would not owe any money.

What if I am still teaching, but not in the original school division?

If you leave your teaching position in your residency school division within the those three service agreement years, even if it is to go teach in a different school division, you will have to pay money back. We try to make sure you are placed in a school division that will be a good fit for you at the start of your residency experience to set you up for success as a teacher in that school division.

What if something happens and I really can’t fulfill my service agreement?

We understand that things happen in life. Medical and family situations can prevent you from being able to fulfill your service agreement. We work with program graduates on a case-by-case basis to ensure that your needs are met and that we are able to uphold our commitment to our partner school divisions to provide them with qualified teachers.

What if I want to continue teaching after I complete my service agreement?

We want you to!  We want you to continue teaching for as long as you can. We want you to stay in the field of education for as long as you can. After the three years, you are free to continue teaching in your school division, move to a different school division, become a CRC for RTR, become an instructional specialist, become an administrator,… the hope is that you will continue making a difference in the lives of students and helping improve the education system long after your service agreement is fulfilled.