The Arlington ISD and The University of Texas at Arlington announced the creation of an innovative Teacher Academy for aspiring young educators.
AISD Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos and UTA President Dr. Vistasp Karbhari made this partnership official with the signing of a memorandum of understanding Monday, March 7, 2016.
The Teacher Academy will provide high school students the opportunity to earn both university semester credit hours and high school course credit, giving students primed for a teaching career an advantage as they become college and workforce ready, objectives of the newly adopted AISD Achieve Today. Excel Tomorrow. strategic plan.
The program will have 12 UTA College of Education courses in addition to other available dual-credit courses and three study pathways, including early childhood through sixth grade bilingual, early childhood through sixth grade English as a second language and early childhood through sixth grade special education. Selection of the academy students will begin next school year.
Classes will take place at either the students' home high school, UTA or the district's new Career and Technical Center that is scheduled to open in the fall of 2017.
"The AISD-UTA Teacher Academy will provide our students yet another relevant, rigorous learning experience as they prepare to become teachers themselves," Cavazos said. "Teachers are at the core of the educational experience. It is our hope that these home-grown teachers will inspire AISD students in the near future as they become Arlington ISD teachers themselves."
It is a priority of the Arlington City Council to support quality education. Public education that produces graduates who are prepared for future success provides the foundation for a strong Arlington community.
The Teacher Academy will be for high school juniors and seniors. Students will sign their degree plan with UTA as high school juniors and will be able to complete their degree within three years of graduating from high school. Upon completion of the full program and a teaching certification, students will be preferred candidates for teaching positions within the AISD.
"UTA has an exceptional College of Education that produces top teachers, many of whom are employed by the AISD," Karbhari said. "This collaboration will help us continue to produce highly qualified educators prepared to work with the diverse student populations in our school district and meet the needs of students within our community."
Support Quality Education
Arlington ISD, Education, Headlines, News, UT Arlington