Schools combat teacher shortage with 'grow your own' approach, recruiting from among their own students
DUNCANVILLE (CBSNewsTexas.com) – As schools across Texas face a teacher shortage, many are looking to recruit within their own walls, taking a "grow your own" approach that's gained the recent support of the state's Teacher Vacancy Task Force.
At Duncanville ISD, the Future Educator program is helping turn today's students into tomorrow's teachers.
"This could really help me," said Noelia Torres, a senior at Duncanville High School.
Students in the program take classes in education, learning best practices, and complete internships alongside experienced teachers in district classrooms.
"I like how we get hands on experience," said Josiah Drake, a Duncanville senior who said he's learned to make lesson plans and understand teaching strategies.
Students can graduate with an educational aide certification, that allows them to work right out of school as a paraprofessional.
"That allows them to work anywhere as an educational aide but our goal is that they work here with us," said the district's Chief HR Officer, Kathleen Brown.
Starting next year, Brown says students in the program will also be able to get an associate's degree while in high school, giving them a two year head start toward their bachelor's degree.
With an associate's degree, they'll also be eligible to apply to another of the district's grow your own programs, an apprenticeship allowing aspiring educators to work full-time at the district while receiving the mentorship and support needed to complete their teaching certification.
"We know teachers leave the profession in droves in the first five years. And one of the top reasons is because of support. And so we are building support around those teacher apprentice candidates and giving them all the tools and resources they need to become very competent and confident in the field," said Brown.
The Texas Education Agency has awarded grants to districts expanding their GYO programs.
Advocates of the approach say recruiting from within helps schools build a more diverse staff that better reflects the community it serves.
By offering employment to those seeking their certification and cutting down on the number of years they need to spend in college, it also removes obstacles from those who might otherwise be deterred from joining the profession.
"If it wasn't for the program in high school my junior year, I probably wouldn't be a teacher," said Patience Elliot, a second grade teacher at Hastings Elementary.
After following her friends into the Duncanville's teaching internship program in high school, she spent several hours a week working with an elementary school teacher, who ignited her interest in education.
"She gave me kids to work with. She showed me how to teach kids how to read," she said.
The real world experience also helped prepare Elliott to handle her own classroom when she was ready.
"I wasn't shocked when I first got into teaching," she said.
This year, she was named Hastings' teacher of the year.