- Over $1 million in grants from the Florida Department of Education will place FAMU and TSC education students in classroom apprenticeships.
- The apprenticeships, meant to help address statewide teacher shortages, will be focused on elementary education at FAMU and ESE at TSC.
- Watch now to hear from one education student who describes how valuable a program like this is to her career.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Over $1 million committed to get future teachers in the classroom as soon as possible.
I'm Alberto Camargo, your College Town neighborhood reporter at FAMU.
I'm breaking down how a state grant for FAMU and Tallahassee State College is molding tomorrow's educators.
The Florida Department of Education is committing $5 million to address the teacher shortage with the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grow Your Own Teacher Grant.
I've previously told you that the DOE projects up to 10,000 teacher vacancies across the state for the 2024-25 school year.
FAMU and TSC will each receive about $500,000 to establish two-year apprenticeships.
This is the second year FAMU has received the grant.
FAMU apprenticeships focus on elementary education — K-6 — and it places apprentices in Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson and Madison Counties.
College of Education Dean Dr. Sarah Price says the apprenticeships are full-time para-educator roles that help students earn their degree in education.
"It improves not only the apprenticeship and the pipeline for teacher education, but this also strengthens our relationship when it comes to placements."
I spoke with current education student Errion Robinson.
Even though she's close to graduation and no longer qualifies for an apprenticeship, Errion says working a full-time role in a classroom while in school is invaluable.
"If I got to actually be in the classroom and actually do my expected job that I'm planning to do when I graduate, I would have more in shape, molded to know what to expect."
2024 is the first year TSC has received the grant.
Its program will focus on Exceptional Student Education — or ESE — and will place apprentices in Leon, Gadsden, and Wakulla County.
TSC provost Dr. Calandra Stringer says the idea is to get students bedded into local school districts and keep them there for the long run.
"The whole goal is you work for me, I'm investing in you, you're getting your Bachelor's Degree, I want you to stay here and be employed with me for ESE."
TSC tells me they hope to begin their first apprenticeship cohort in the spring semester, while FAMU says it will add students to its existing cohort in the spring to bring it up to 15.
At FAMU, Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
