Chico State to Ease Financial Burden for Aspiring Teachers with $8.5 Million U.S. Department of Education Grant
Chico State’s School of Education is poised to alleviate financial obstacles for dozens of aspiring teachers across Northern California. The U.S. Department of Education awarded the University an $8.5 million grant, allocated over five years, to establish the Belong, Engage, Support, Transform (BEST) Teachers Residency program, which will place the next generation of educators at elementary schools in the region.
The BEST program will support 60 credential candidates, particularly from underrepresented groups, to earn elementary teaching credentials and masters of art degrees in teaching. They will be placed in high-need schools in the North State during a year-long residency.
The grant proposal was drafted and submitted by School of Education professors Jennifer Oloff-Lewis, Rebecca Justeson, Mimi Miller, and Claudia Bertolone-Smith.