This brief from US PREP at Texas Tech University describes the El Paso Teacher Pipeline Community of Practice, an innovative staffing model for teacher residencies. These models, also referred to as “strategic staffing,” offer sustainable financial support to residents through living wage stipends. The initiative proposed reallocating underutilized funds within districts to compensate residents who meet instructional needs in schools as part of their residency experience. US PREP actively participated in this process, collaborating closely with district human resource and academic leaders. Together they analyzed data, discussed teacher candidate and district requirements, and explored potential reallocation of funds. Through these efforts, district leaders identified a staffing model tailored to their specific needs.