Ball State University’s Teachers College has been awarded a multi-million dollar 2022-2024 Attract, Prepare, Retain (APR) Grant—a federally funded program aimed at recruiting and retaining top teaching talent in Indiana schools—the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) recently announced.
More than $2.1 million is being awarded to Ball State for a project that will serve six counties across Central and East Central Indiana. The proposed project will offer substantial opportunities for teachers, students, and families, said Dr. Susan Tancock, associate dean for Undergraduate and Graduate Studies and professor of Elementary Education at Ball State’s Teachers College.
Programming is set to begin in Fall 2023.
“Teachers College is excited to work with our partner high schools in this project to shepherd more students into the pipeline and expose them to the rewarding career of teaching,” Dr. Tancock said. “By leveraging dual credit opportunities as well as technical and career pathways, Ball State can assist high schools in offering lower-cost college credit that is transferrable to any post-secondary program. Students will be carefully mentored as they move through the pathways, have opportunities to visit Ball State’s campus, and receive funds for tuition and books.”
APR also focuses on increasing opportunities for high school students to enter educator preparation programs with transferable postsecondary credits; increasing underrepresented populations among candidates enrolling in educator preparation programs; improving guidance, support, and accessible data for recruiting and mentoring purposes; and increasing leadership and career advancement opportunities within the profession.
“The Attract, Prepare, Retain grant will fund our efforts to deepen relationships with several high schools in service to students and teachers. We look forward to strengthening opportunities for high school students to be exposed to college-level courses that will attract them to the teaching profession, which they may continue as pre-service teaching candidates at Ball State University,” said Dr. Kendra Lowery, associate dean for Equity and Engagement and associate professor of Educational Leadership at Teachers College.
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