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They racked up credit card debt, borrowed money from relatives, and ate frozen dinners.

Now, after , the Education Department has begun sending payments to soon-to-be-teachers who were counting on the money to cover living expenses over the summer while they trained to enter the city鈥檚 public schools.

Members of the NYC Teaching Fellows expected to be paid up to $4,500 in installments during the summer program, which quickly trains career changers and recent college graduates to fill hard-to-staff positions in the city鈥檚 public schools. Nearly 1,000 people participated this year, about double the number compared with last year, as the city races to comply with a state class size mandate that will require than usual every year.

Education officials initially indicated that participants would be paid periodically during the seven-week program to help offset living expenses, according to a recording of a webinar obtained by Chalkbeat. But when the program wound down during the last week of July, the payments still hadn鈥檛 arrived.

Several fellows complained about the delays, and the Education Department responded with vague messages that did little to clarify the timeline. City officials eventually told fellows they would begin issuing checks on Aug 1., meaning participants would not receive them until after they completed their training.

鈥淭hey just kept saying, 鈥楨xpect an update,鈥欌�� said Kimba Williams, a 44-year-old former case manager for a foster care agency who participated in the program this summer. 鈥淭hey waited until the whole program was over.鈥�

, the Teaching Fellows program has long been a key pipeline for attracting educators into high-need schools and is also designed to help diversify the teaching force. About were hired through the program, which offers a faster track into city classrooms that skirts the traditional certification process.

Williams, who is slated to teach at a Bronx middle school this fall, joined the fellows program because he wanted to be a positive role model for Black boys. Research students of color have better outcomes when they are in classrooms with teachers who look like them.

As the weeks ticked by without any sign of a paycheck, he maxed out his credit cards, took on $2,500 in debt, and canceled a trip to visit his daughter in North Carolina because he couldn鈥檛 afford the travel. He was expecting a stipend of about $3,700.

鈥淚t makes it hard to live a normal life,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淎t times you may not know where your next meal is coming from and that鈥檚 not fair to put anyone through.鈥�

The training experience 鈥� which involves learning how to devise lessons, manage classrooms, and teach summer school students under close supervision 鈥� was positive except for the lack of payment, Williams said.

A check finally arrived on Aug. 11, more than a week after the program ended. Williams plans to use some of the money to drive his daughter to college.

City officials eventually blamed the delays on a 鈥渢ransition to a new payment structure that was required for us to remain in compliance with tax regulations,鈥� according to an email some teaching fellows received at the end of July.

鈥淲hile the Office of Teacher Recruitment and Quality has been working tirelessly to issue this payment as soon as possible, we deeply apologize for the delay caused by this transition and appreciate your patience and understanding,鈥� the message continued.

After this story was published, Education Department spokesperson Chyann Tull wrote in an email that 鈥渁ll payments have been issued鈥� and noted that the city would 鈥渜uickly identify and resolve any outstanding issues to ensure every Fellow is paid in full.鈥�

Some fellows, however, said they are still waiting to be paid.

One participant, who previously worked as an accountant, said he borrowed $6,500 from relatives to pay for rent and groceries this summer. The delays have strained some of those relationships.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e asking, 鈥榃hen are you going to be able to pay?鈥欌�� said the fellow, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell them because I haven鈥檛 received it.鈥�

City officials warned fellows in a late July message that lost checks could take months to reissue.

Some experts that starting a new career in debt could mean they wind up leaving the public school system sooner, as teachers often make less than peers with similar experience and credentials. The former accountant said the experience has made him second guess his decision to change careers.

鈥淧eople are not going to want to stay in a profession if you鈥檙e not going to be treated with respect,鈥� he said.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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