(NAME-MCE) Minority Teacher Recruitment Initiative

[Anselmo Villanueva]

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GRANT TO SUPPORT MINORITY TEACHER
RECRUITMENT INITIATIVE

The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) has
announced that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded the
organization a $6.7 million, multi-year grant for the development of a
minority teacher recruitment initiative, called Teach & Inspire. ABCTE
was one of 41 recipients of a grant from the federal Transition to
Teaching program, which in 2007 awarded 21.7 million dollars to
organizations that recruit, prepare, and support highly-qualified
mid-career professionals as teachers in high-needs schools. The
initiative for which ABCTE was awarded grant money, Teach and Inspire,
is designed to recruit mid-career professionals of color to pursue
alternative teacher certification. The program goal is to recruit 1,800
teachers of color in Mississippi and Florida to fill high-need subject
areas like math and science.

In order to meet their goal, ABCTE will work with school districts to
host recruitment events where people can learn more about earning their
certification through ABCTE's Passport to Teaching program. Already, 25%
of candidates in the Passport to Teaching program are non-white, and one
third are pursuing a high-need subject area. ABCTE will help to increase
the retention rate of Teach & Inspire teachers through effective
in-person mentoring and online support networks. The candidates will
participate in a rigorous, two-week pre-induction teaching experience
where the teacher will be able to observe a master teacher and lead
lessons. Candidates will also have access to a network and forum where
they can communicate with other Teach & Inspire teachers to discuss best
practices and seek help from experienced teachers. In addition, ABCTE
will be recruiting 380 experienced teachers who will serve as mentors to
the Teach & Inspire candidates. These mentors will work with and observe
the candidates once they are in the classroom. *

For more information about ABCTE, visit www.abcte.org