The Wyoming Rural Teacher Corps (WyRTC) provides preservice teachers with mentorship and instruction on how to thrive in Wyoming's rural schools. With a high need for educator recruitment and retention, WyRTC recruits and supports developing educators who want to teach in rural schools. Teton Science Schools (TSS) is WyRTC’s partner and provides place-based training and support to prepare for teaching in rural Wyoming schools.
Students per year
Annual teacher grants
Rural-serving teachers
Wyoming Rural Teacher Corps: Program Essentials
Place-based training
Networking and scholarship
Teacher mentorship
Honoraria for alumni
"Rural issues are on the forefront of students’ minds. What is it like to come into a small community either for student teaching or a teaching job if you are coming in from the outside? Simply defining what constitutes a rural school elicited a variety of perspectives among our cohort discussions."
- Dr. Alison Mercier, Rural Teacher Corps Program Lead
"My mentor teacher showed me how to allow the students’ interests to connect them to place, and to use place as a driver for their learning. Students that come from a large agriculture background, for example, can really use that knowledge to drive science standards, making learning more meaningful for students.”
- Holly Qualm, Buffalo, WY
Featured Stories
Rural Teacher Corps Spotlight: Wyoming Rural Teacher Corps Prepares Future Educators for Rural Classrooms
Through mentorship, immersive experiences, and place-based learning, the program equips pre-service teachers to thrive in Wyoming’s rural schools
Preparing Teachers for Rural Wyoming: Voices from the Field
In this blog, hear from 3 WY Rural Teacher Corps (RTC) members who completed their student teaching in the fall of 2025 and graduated in December 2025 about their experiences in the Corps and with rural teaching.
Investing in Rural Teachers: Catalyst Initiative
The Rural Teacher Corps model showcases how national philanthropy can serve as a catalyst for local solutions.
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