Texas Border Business
PHARR – Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD in partnership with the New Teacher Center was recently awarded a $216,500 grant for new teacher support services.
Since its inception, The Meadows Foundation has disbursed more than $775 million in grants to more than 3,000 Texas institutions and agencies. The Foundation supports programs and services that employ imaginative, innovative ways to solve community problems and promotes projects and plans that lead to organizational self-sufficiency and growth.
According to a recent report from the Center for Research, Evaluation, & Advancement of Teacher Education, less than one-third of Texas teachers are being trained through traditional university-based Educator Preparation Providers and that most teachers are earning their credentials through Alternative Certification Programs (ACP).
Aware of this, through the new partnership with the New Teacher Center, PSJA ISD will build its capacity to implement and sustain a high-quality and impactful teacher development system that incorporates additional supports for ACP Candidates and Interns. The goal of this program is to accelerate the effectiveness of all new teachers and provide additional supports to ACP Candidates and Interns in order to measurably improve teacher practice, increase teacher retention and improve student learning.
The New Teacher Center is a national non-profit organization currently working with over 400 school districts in 27 states and the country of Singapore to develop comprehensive and sustainable new teacher mentoring and instructional coaching programs.
“We are very grateful to have been awarded this generous grant,” said PSJA Assistant Superintendent of Human Capitol Dr. Rebeca Garza. “Through these efforts, we plan to support the development of optimal environments for teaching and learning in our schools with a focus on equity, rigorous curriculum and instruction, and meeting the needs of diverse learners.”
