HISD, TSU launch new teaching program
Houston ISD and Texas Southern University are launching a partnership for education students at the historically Black university to work as paid teacher apprentices in the district starting in January.
As part of the new program, TSU students will earn a salary and teacher certification while working in HISD’s 85 New Education System or NES-aligned schools that have been overhauled this year under state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles.
Miles said the TSU partnership, called the Legacy Learning Pact, will help grow a pipeline of teacher apprentices who work with HISD teachers to plan and implement lesson plans, provide instruction and support classroom management. He said the position eliminates the need for substitutes and reduces disruption when a teacher is absent, since the teacher apprentice can step into the role.
The district currently has 494 teacher apprentices in its NES and NES-A schools, although the number of NES campuses and teacher apprentice positions is expected to expand next year, Miles said.
“For the teacher apprentices, many of them are going to be moving into teacher roles,” Miles said. “We will have a need today and tomorrow for teacher apprentices who are really going to help us and the workforce we need going forward.”
Sandi Massey, HISD’s chief of leadership and professional development, said the program will have approximately seven students starting next month and 16 starting the next academic year.
The partnership comes as HISD has faced difficulties filling its open positions with certified teachers. The school board sought a waiver this year to hire uncertified teachers and later approved a designation that will allow campuses to hire uncertified high school teachers for the next five years without obtaining a waiver.
Sophomore Kimberly Smith said the program will benefit her and other TSU students because it allows them to gain teaching experience while facing fewer — if any — financial burdens due to the provided salary. Smith is currently a learning coach at Holland Middle School, an NES-A campus, and she hopes to work as an HISD teacher once she graduates.
“I believe it’s important for every college student who wants a career in education to be involved in this program,” Smith said. “You get the prep you need to be a real classroom teacher. It will be beneficial, and you have TSU who supports you and HISD who’s ready to take you on as an employee.”
Texas college students aspiring to become teachers often have to work unpaid internships or teacher residencies, according to the Texas Association of School Boards. However, some Texas universities, such as the University of Texas at El Paso and Texas State University, have begun to offer some paid teacher residency programs to help eliminate the financial burdens of pursuing the career.
Brandon Simmons, chairman of the TSU Board of Regents, said the paid partnership provides opportunities to students who may have otherwise been unable to work in the classroom. He said the TSU students will be able impact the lives of hundreds of HISD students through the partnership, which is a win-win for both institutions.
“Why TSU? Because in a time where not only is there a teacher shortage but there’s also a severe need for building the capacity of teachers, we have so many new teachers on board,” Simmons said. “When you have a program that is certifying over 90% of its graduates, it doesn’t take a genius to want to create a partnership.”