Winthrop University has received $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Education to create a program that will pair the university with five school districts to recruit and retain teachers. The money is the first installment of what is expected to be $7 million in federal funding for the five year program. Winthrop College of Education Dean Dr. Jennie Rakestraw says the high need school districts the university will be working with are from Chester, Lancaster, Cherokee, Union, and Fairfield counties. Rakestraw says the university will also be working with its four resource districts in York County.

Rakestraw says the program will be tracking students as they develop from their college experience through their development as full fledged teachers: “We’re looking at this from the preservice level and their preparation in our undergraduate program through the induction years, their first few years on the job as a teacher. Then as they become more veteran in the classroom we look at how they can support new teachers and teachers in training and become further developed in their effectiveness.” [Read more...]