Western Governors University and the Canyons School District are partnering to encourage more education support staff to pursue teaching credentials and ease the teacher shortage.
WGU is offering $5,000 Pathway to Teaching Scholarships to Canyons employees to help cover some of the costs of tuition; the university has earmarked $50,000 to award scholarships to at least 10 employees.
Canyons employees are also eligible to apply for $2,500 scholarships through WGU’s K-12 Partner Scholarship program, which can be used to cover the costs associated with any approved WGU bachelor’s or master’s program.
“Our mission is to provide young learners the best instruction, support, and experiences possible,” said Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins.
“Not only does our partnership with WGU help ensure a steady pipeline of highly qualified teachers, it reinforces our commitment to the professional development of the outstanding individuals currently working in our district.”
These scholarships are part of an emerging “Grow Your Own” strategy to teacher recruitment being embraced by school systems in response to the teacher shortage.
Enrollment in teacher preparation programs area at the highest point in a decade, but recruiters say the shortage still remains a challenge, especially in science, math, and special education.
Go here for more information about this program.
