Chico State to Ease Financial Burden for Aspiring Teachers with $8.5 Million U.S. Department of Education Grant 

By Andrew Staples

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. 

In Indiana: More Students Have Access to a High-Quality Special Education Teacher Following Investment in Educator Pipeline 

By Courtney Crown

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) recently provided an update on the state’s special education teacher pipeline and the targeted solutions that are showing a positive return on investment, connecting schools with high-quality special education teacher candidates and maximizing learning for students. 

“When we looked at our state data, we knew that we had a challenge when it came to recruiting special education teachers,” said Katie Jenner, Ed.D., Indiana Secretary of Education. “Rather than admiring the problem, we brought together educators and key partners to help us find solutions. In just a few years, our data now shows that our investments are working, placing many more special education teachers in Indiana classrooms.”