William Paterson University gets $1.6M grant to place teachers in 'high-need' schools
William Paterson University has been awarded $1.6 million in federal funding to train teachers from diverse backgrounds to work in high-need school districts in Passaic County.
The U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday that the school in Wayne was among 12 around the nation to receive the first Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence grants, a program named for the first Black politician elected to the House of Representatives from west of the Mississippi River.
The grants, $18.8 million in total, are intended to support teacher preparation programs for educators of color, strengthen the diversity of the hiring pipeline and address the shortages plaguing U.S. schools, the department said.
At WPU, the money will fund an initiative by the school's College of Education to recruit students from underrepresented populations as teacher candidates. The candidates will eventually work in five local districts: Bloomfield, Clifton, Haledon, Passaic and Paterson, according to a university statement.
The candidates will be provided with training, academic support, pathways to professional certification and licensure, paid employment through substitute teaching or paraprofessional roles, as well as guidance from mentors.
Amy Ginsberg, the dean of WPU's College of Education, hailed the news.
"“We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Education for recognizing William Paterson University as an institution that is committed to serving the diverse communities in our region by preparing members of these communities to become fantastic teachers − not only elevating themselves, but also serving as models for the teachers of tomorrow," she said.
The Education Department added that WPU will focus on "reducing barriers in teacher recruitment, placing teacher candidates in high-need areas, and support[ing] high-need areas through university-district partnerships.
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"The long-term goal is to replicate these practices in school districts around the state," it continued.
As of October, 27% of U.S. public schools had multiple teaching vacancies. The labor shortages were even more severe in high-poverty areas and more diverse schools. About 60% of schools in those areas had multiple vacancies, the DOE said.
Ricardo Kaulessar is a culture reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Region How We Live team. For unlimited access to the most important news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com
Twitter: @ricardokaul
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: William Paterson University $1.6 million grant for teacher diversity
