School districts and educator preparation programs are important partners in the professional learning ecosystem. Their strong relationships have long been lauded as the gold standard of preparing and retaining high-quality teachers, yet they have been slow to develop robust reciprocal relationships that can address intensifying challenges of teacher recruitment and attrition (Guha et al., 2016). When districts and program partners work together to think more strategically about systems of preparation and support, they can make important progress toward equity for educators and students. One promising model is the development of sustainable paid teacher residencies, in which teacher candidates enrolled in coursework are paid to work in districts under the supervision of mentor teachers. When designed well, these residencies can benefit everyone involved -- both new and veteran teachers and, ultimately, students. As part of a project to make teacher pathways more equitable and increase teacher diversity, the California Educator Preparation Innovation Collaborative (CalEPIC), a technical assistance center under the umbrella of the Thompson Policy Institute on Disability based at Chapman University, teamed up with policy and strategy organization Education First and educator preparation programs and districts across California to engage in teacher residency redesign. Paid residencies are now leading to a more diverse pool of teacher candidates, more robust teacher preparation, and ongoing professional growth.