Franklin schools considers teacher residency grant

<p>The Indiana Commission for Higher Education will fund a program that will pair student educators with mentor teachers starting this fall, and while other Johnson County schools have no plans to apply for the grant, Franklin Community Schools is weighing its options.</p><p>The Indiana Teacher Residency Pilot Grant Program and Fund will award public and charter schools a total of $1 million in funding. With the grant, school districts can partner with a college or university to provide full-year, paid teaching opportunities to students preparing to be teachers, by working alongside mentor teachers, according to a news release from the commission for higher education.</p><p>The residency grants will pay prospective teachers $15,000 per year, and a separate residency planning grant will pay school districts $1,000 to develop or expand an existing teacher residency program. School officials must submit proposals by Feb. 28 if they want funding for the 2020-21 school year, according to the new release.</p><p>Franklin schools has collaborated with Franklin College and Indiana University’s Bloomington and Columbus campuses on similar ventures, Superintendent David Clendening said.</p><p>“IU and Franklin College send a lot of students to us; IU Columbus is another one that actually sends a lot our way,” Clendening said. “I’ve talked to them about options in the past, in terms of curriculum and them teaching for us. With Franklin College, we continue to look for ways to make those connections. In the January term, they have a lot of college kids in our elementary buildings helping with literacy.”</p><p>Clendening wasn’t certain Franklin schools would pursue the grant this year, but said it is a valuable opportunity for all school districts to consider.</p><p>“I think there’s some opportunities for all districts to look at with that partnership,” Clendening said. “It would provide connections and opportunities.”</p><p>The partnership between student educators and experienced teachers could strengthen the next wave of educators, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers said in the news release.</p><p>“While student educators are learning firsthand from experienced educators, the program also provides mentor teachers with increased responsibility and pay without leaving their classrooms,” she said.</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="At a glance" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>The Indiana Commission for Higher Education will offer schools two grants for teacher residency partnerships</p><p><ul><li>Teacher Residency Grants: $15,000 per teacher residency position annually beginning in the 2020-21 school year.</li><li>Teacher Residency Planning Grants: $1,000 per charter school or school district to develop or expand a teacher residency program.</li></ul></p>[sc:pullout-text-end]