Can Intern candidates identify their own District-Employed Supervisor (DES)?

We understand you may know experienced educators who could serve as a strong mentor, however, the District-Employed Supervisor (DES) is selected and assigned by your employer, not by the Intern Program. This helps ensure the supervisor meets all required qualifications and aligns with employer expectations and policies.

In many cases, employers provide a stipend to compensate the DES for their mentorship and supervision. Because the DES role—including selection, compensation, and workload—is managed by the employer, the Intern Program is not involved in those arrangements. For that reason, we encourage intern candidates to allow the employer to handle these decisions directly.

If you have questions about who will serve as your DES, we encourage you to connect directly with your employer.