East DFW News

Dallas College Receives $1 Million From Two Federal Grants To Support Its Teacher Residency Apprenticeship Program

Dallas College School of Education has started its Spring semester with an additional $1 million in federal funding for its innovative teacher residency apprenticeship program. Dallas College announced the program last March after it received Department of Labor approval for what is Texas’ first registered teaching apprenticeship.

The teaching residency apprenticeship program is designed to help solve teacher shortages by building a steady pipeline of well-trained teachers. Open to students enrolled in Dallas College’s bachelor’s degree in education program, it allows tomorrow’s educators to begin earning while still training.

“Every student in our city deserves access to a highly effective educator every year. This funding really gives us the ability to scale our work and produce even more high quality educators to meet the workforce needs of our early childhood and school district partners across North Texas,” said Dr. Rob DeHaas, vice provost of the Dallas College School of Education. “The collective commitment of our North Texas congressional leadership to support our future teacher educators is not only an investment in our teacher workforce but an investment in the future health and prosperity of our city and of our region.”

hrough Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33), the Dallas College teaching apprenticeship program will receive $500,000 in Department of Labor funding from H.R. 2617, part of more than $30 million in funding he obtained for 15 North Texas projects.

“I am proud to have secured funding for Dallas College’s Teacher Residency Apprenticeship Program in the government funding package that was recently signed into law,” said Veasey. “As a former substitute teacher, I recognize the impact educators have on our children and our future. We must continue to support them and invest in programs that create a steady pipeline of well-trained educators.”

The additional $500,000 grant from the Department of Education was secured through Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30, retired) and Rep. Colin Allred (TX-32), part of $26.6 million in funding he obtained for an additional 15 North Texas projects.

“My mom was a Dallas public teacher, so I know how important teachers are to our community and educating our young people so they have the tools they need to succeed,” said Allred. “Our community colleges have never been more critical, especially as North Texas continues to grow. That’s why I was so proud to secure funding for Dallas College for this apprenticeship program as they help train the next generation of teachers.”

Signed into law by President Biden, both grants were included in the Community Funding Project package that was passed by Congress as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2022.

“Dallas College is grateful to our elected leaders who are champions of the education we offer our students, particularly those who someday want to be teachers themselves,” Dallas College Chancellor Justin Lonon said. “Through the innovative programming offered by our School of Education, made possible in part through this key congressional funding, our student-teachers gain critical training in the classroom while getting paid for it.”

Richardson Independent School District and charter school Uplift Education are early partners in the residency apprenticeship program. Under the apprenticeship, typically students earn $30,000 to serve as residents in classrooms three days per week and tutor or serve as a substitute one day per week. They participate in weekly cohort meetings and receive deep coaching from Dallas College faculty.

Original source can be found here