Appalachian State Awarded $35 Million Grant to Expand GEAR UP College Access Program 

By Elyssee Gibson

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a seven-year, $35 million GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grant to Appalachian State University’s College Access Partnerships in the Reich College of Education. The award represents the largest single grant ever awarded to the university. 

GEAR UP is a federally funded college access program designed to increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education immediately after high school. Through a wide range of research-based services to students, families, and teachers, the GEAR UP NC Appalachian Partnership aims to improve college-going mindsets, high school graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment rates. 

How a Residency Partnership Increased Applicants by 5000% 

By Karen DeMoss

In one year, Virginia Commonwealth University’s RTR Teacher Residency increased their applicant pool in one school division (Virginia’s name for districts) by 5000% — from an average of six applicants in previous years to over 300. What made the difference? In 2023, VCU and Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) advertised a groundbreaking new residency offering: A $43,000 salary, plus comprehensive benefits. 

“It’s not that people don’t want to go into education—It’s that they don’t want to go into debt,” Kim McKnight, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Teacher Leadership and Executive Director of RTR at VCU said. “It was really encouraging to see such a big increase in applicants.” 

University of Maine, Rural Schools Collaborative to Continue Partnership Supporting Rural Educators, Communities

By Casey Kelly

This article was originally published on the University of Maine’s website and is reprinted with permission.

The University of Maine College of Education and Human Development and the Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC) have agreed to extend their partnership focused on advancing the preparation and professional development of high-quality rural teachers and school leaders throughout New England.

The parties recently signed a new memorandum of understanding to continue the collaboration through fiscal year 2027, allowing UMaine to remain the home of the RSC’s New England Rural Education Hub.

Sam Houston State University Education Students Study Abroad in Costa Rica

By Lidia Gutierrez

This article is reprinted with permission from Sam Houston State University.

Professors Francisco Usero-Gonzalez and Burcu Ates led students from Sam Houston State University to venture into Costa Rica for a unique study abroad program from May 11 to May 20. This trip was designed for students interested in pursuing a career in English as a Second Language (ESL) education, offering them an invaluable opportunity to experience teaching in a different cultural context and assist local educators.

“Study abroad programs significantly impact teacher candidates by enriching their teaching practices and preparing them to engage with diverse student populations,” Ates, the faculty lead for this study abroad program, said. “This global perspective enables them to create more inclusive curricula and foster a classroom environment that respects and celebrates ALL students.”

Superintendent Arntzen is Accepting Applications for the Third Year of the Teacher Residency Project

By Montana Office of Public Instruction

Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen is accepting residency and district applications for the third year of the Montana Teacher Residency Program. The Residency program is a one-year paid student teaching experience during the final year of undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or master’s studies for education majors. Residents will be paired with a teacher-leader, and receive a stipend, district-provided housing, and partial tuition support.

Resident teachers will also commit to teaching in a Montana school district for a minimum of three years. Those interested in becoming a resident can apply here. Districts interested in hosting a resident can apply here.

“The Residency Program is a great opportunity for Montana-made teachers to gain valuable classroom experience,” Arntzen said. “The academic success of our children depends on access to high-quality teachers who are well prepared from day one. This reflects my Montana Hope and Montana Teach initiatives by emphasizing community engagement and strong teacher leaders to put our students first.”

UW–Madison School of Education Joins Forces with School Districts, DWD to Cultivate Aspiring School Leaders 

By Kari Dickinson

This article was originally published on the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s website. 

To help identify and nurture future school leaders, the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education is partnering with three Wisconsin school districts to launch the District Leadership Preparation Pipeline (DLPP) program. This innovative program aims to transform 25 current school district employees into highly effective school leaders by August 2025.  

The DLPP program is a collaborative effort, bringing together an urban, suburban, and rural school district in south-central Wisconsin. Supported by funding from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s (DWD) Fast Forward Industry Sectors Worker Training grant program, the initiative leverages the School of Education’s highly regarded 14-month principal preparation curriculum. 

“Good principals and school leaders truly benefit teachers, staff, and the education students receive,” DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek said. “We are eager to partner with the UW–Madison School of Education to help prepare leaders who will support our schools, our educators, and our future workforce.” 

University of Louisville College of Education & Human Development to Create State Reading Research Center 

By Jennifer Recktenwald and Chris Wooton

This article was originally published on the University of Louisville’s news website. 

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has tapped the University of Louisville’s (UofL) College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) to create the Kentucky Reading Research Center, a new entity that will support educators in implementing reliable, replicable reading programs and promote literacy development.  

The project includes a two-year, $6 million contract — one of the largest competitive grant awards in the CEHD’s history — and is renewable for up to five years. 

Executive Vice President and University Provost Gerry Bradley and CEHD Interim Dean Amy Lingo, who will serve as executive director of the Kentucky Reading Research Center when it launches July 1, joined state officials and legislators at Bourbon Central Elementary School in Paris, KY, to announce the project on June 3. 

UToledo Educator Leads $2.3M Initiative to Keep High-Quality Science Teachers in Classrooms

By Nicki Gorny

Education can be a challenging vocation.

School districts often struggle to recruit and retain high-quality teachers, who cite job satisfaction and burnout as key reasons they leave the classroom.

Natasha Johnson, Ph.D., can relate to the challenges facing today’s teachers, with roughly two decades of classroom experience in metro Atlanta preceding her transition to The University of Toledo’s Judith Herb College of Education in 2020.

It is why she’s passionate about a $2.3 million initiative she’s heading to support sixth through 12th-grade science teachers in high-need districts in Ohio and Kentucky, funded by the National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Scholarship Program.

From Student to Teacher: The Impact of Education Village at Winona State University 

By Elena Armstrong

Currently in her third year of teaching first grade at Cotter Schools, Jessica Houghton can clearly see the influence Winona State University’s Education Village had on her teaching career. 

The state-of-the-art mini-campus for the College of Education was finished in 2019 and included renovations to Helble Hall, Wabasha Recreation Center, and Cathedral Elementary School to create modernized classrooms and innovative spaces. Education Village is celebrating its five-year anniversary this April with an open house and community activities. 

Houghton was in her senior year when Education Village opened. She got to see first-hand the impact it had on her schooling, peers, and learning environment. 

In DC: OSSE Invests in Teacher Preparation, Pipelines, and Supports 

By The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (Washington DC)

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) announced the expansion of a popular and successful educator coaching program, which will provide free instructional coaching to 75 DC public and public charter teachers who have completed DC Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) programs and have fewer than five years of teaching experience. This work builds on OSSE’s 2023-24 school year school leader coaching, which served nearly 200 school leaders who support over 2,000 DC school-based educators. 

“OSSE is proud to provide this coaching opportunity for new teachers who have completed their teacher training right here in the District,” said State Superintendent Christina Grant, Ed.D. “To improve student outcomes, teachers must be well prepared and well supported from the minute they set foot in the classroom, and investing in this one-on-one coaching resource will provide new teachers with the support they need to improve their instructional practice and ultimately make a meaningful impact on the social and academic success of DC students.” 

Austin Peay College of Education Emphasizes Collaboration During Spring Partnership Meeting

By Megan Simpson

The power of partnerships is more than a talking point for Prentice Chandler, Ph.D., dean of the Eriksson College of Education at Austin Peay State University. These partnerships are elevated, celebrated, and taken seriously, and this attitude was fully apparent as the College of Education hosted its semiannual Partnership Advisory Council Meeting on February 15. 
 
“These two meetings that we have each year are some of the most important work in the college,” Chandler said. “We can do just about anything if we work together.” 

University-district partnerships are essential and have resulted in some of the college’s nationally recognized programs, including the Grow Your Own Teacher Residency. The Partnership Advisory Council is a collaborative effort that brings together Austin Peay faculty and staff with school district leaders and stakeholders from across Tennessee. These meetings allow the college to share updates on its programs and initiatives and gather feedback from partners to help guide improvements.  

Prepared To Teach Launches Webinar Series on Building Residencies

By Tyler Pointer

In their work to prepare aspiring teachers with pathways to paid residencies, Prepared To Teach is offering a six-part webinar series titled “Foundations to Futures” to support building new residencies. Foundations to Futures is a free, exploratory webinar series on residencies that will culminate in an invitation to join the Prepared to Teach Community of Practice to launch residencies.

The series will launch on January 29, 2024, with its first webinar, “Foundations for a Strong Residency” which will focus on the potential teacher residencies have to fundamentally transform both how individuals enter the profession and how students and teachers experience schooling. This webinar will share the following:

• A vision for residencies as a unique approach to preparation—and why we need them today,
• How preparation programs and school/district partnerships form the backbone of a strong residency,
• The basics of co-constructing residency designs,
• And tools and resources—all Creative Commons Licensed—for you to use in your local context.

College of Education and Health Professions Team Earns Grant to Start Razorback STARS Project

By Shannon G. Magsam

College of Education and Health Professions faculty and Decatur School District officials met recently to discuss their new partnership. From left, Matt Boeving, Steve Watkins, Christy Smith, Jennifer Beasley, Christine Ralston, Kevin Matthews, and Ederlee Gomez.

A faculty team in the College of Education and Health Professions was awarded a $525,013 Teacher Quality Partnership grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will help produce a pipeline of teachers in small, rural Northwest Arkansas schools.

The team is based in the college’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, which prepares students for various careers in education. The grant team is led by Christine Ralston, a teaching associate professor, who is working closely with co-principal investigators Jennifer Beasley, Vicki Collet, and Christy Smith.

Collet will provide support for mentoring, and Smith will provide support for co-teaching, which are both pivotal to the Razorback STARS project.

K-State College of Education, Hutchinson Community College Develop Teacher Pathway Program for Area Students

By Kansas State University

Kansas State University’s College of Education and Hutchinson Community College have begun a partnership that paves a seamless pathway for area students to earn a bachelor’s degree in education online while remaining in their home communities.

This pathway program begins in high school, where students chart their journeys to becoming teachers and take dual credit courses through Hutchinson Community College. As they progress through the community college phase, students will be provided with comprehensive guidance to ensure a smooth transition to K-State Online and field experiences in their local schools. 

The innovative online platform allows aspiring educators — both traditional and non-traditional students — to balance their studies with other commitments while benefiting from the expertise of distinguished faculty members and advanced educational resources.

Alliant University and San Diego Unified Partner Through TEACH-LEAD Program

By Alliant International University

Alliant International University and San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) have partnered through SDUSD’s TEACH-LEAD program in order to support aspiring teachers on their educational journey. With both institutions dedicated to equity in education, representation in the classroom, and providing the support that teachers need both in education and practice, the partnership was a natural step toward shared impact.

TEACH-LEAD San Diego (TLSD) is San Diego Unified’s latest endeavor focused on eliminating barriers that hold future educators back from pursuing their goals. The new program offers both financial and personalized pathway resources to individuals beginning or continuing their journey towards a career as a teacher. TEACH-LEAD San Diego is the district’s new “grow your own” teacher pipeline program, dedicated to supporting individuals in becoming teachers in their local communities.