Tippecanoe County schools part of $10.6 million grant to expand hiring

Staff reports
·2 min read

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. − Tippecanoe County Schools will be receiving a portion of a $10.6 million grant meant to expand the educator pipeline as part of the Indiana Department of Education's Attract, Prepare, Retain Grant.

Goal of the grant

The full name of the program is Attract, Prepare, Retain (APR) Grant: Expanding and Diversifying Indiana’s Educator Pipeline. According to the Indiana Department of Education, this grant is, "designed to aid Indiana’s schools and community partners in supporting local initiatives to attract and retain educators in school buildings across the state."

Which district will receive how much

According to a release from the Indiana House Democrats, this grant will aid schools and educators in 29 Indiana counties. Tippecanoe County - along with schools in Cass, Clinton, Jasper, Miami, Montgomery and White counties- will be receiving $870,000. Tippecanoe School Corporation and West Lafayette School Corporation are listed as Tippecanoe County's partner organizations for this grant.

"Recipients of the grant have demonstrated a commitment to supporting the professional development of local educators," the release said, "including investing in strategies such as growing the number of opportunities for high school students and minority populations to pursue careers as educators."

According to the grant's overview document, eligibility for this program includes PK-12 schools; non-profit organizations; education service centers or higher education institutions.

"Individual awards will be determined based on the intended outcomes resulting from the grant," the grant's description says, "including the number of high school students and students from underrepresented populations entering a pathway to the education profession through the partnership."

A full list of the recipient organizations and their respective award amounts can be found here.

One state representative's comment

State representative Chris Campbell commented on what this grant will bring to Tippecanoe County schools.

"Our children deserve the best, so it only makes sense to provide them with the best quality of teachers,” Campbell said in a release. “The growing teacher shortage in our state is a detriment to students’ futures as well-educated and developed citizens. This grant will allow Tippecanoe County schools to explore creative ways to professionally develop and invest in current educators, as well as attract the next generation of Hoosier teachers.”

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Tippecanoe County schools part of $10.6 million grant to expand hiring