The University of Texas at Austin, the Texas Center for Education Policy (TCEP) and the National Latino Education Research and Policy project have received a $400,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to spur the development of a community-based, university-connected, Grow-Your-Own Teacher Initiative in five states around the country.
TCEP is part of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) at The University of Texas at Austin. Other participating universities include the University of North Texas, California State Sacramento University, the University of Milwaukee, the University of Illinois in Chicago and Brooklyn College.
“This grant could not have come at a better time. In addition to the effects of the education budget cuts, many teachers are poised to retire in the near future. These changes and changing demographics make it imperative to populate the ranks with the kinds of knowledge, skills and sensibilities that I am confident our world-class scholars can generate under the auspices of this grant,” said Dr. Angela Valenzuela, director of TCEP and associate vice president for diversity and community engagement.
Dr. Gregory Vincent, vice president for diversity and community engagement, said, “The DDCE appreciates the Kellogg Foundation award. It is a testament of the excellent work TCEP is doing on this important national initiative to get effective, high-quality teachers in the classroom.”
The TCEP grant builds on a multi-year commitment on behalf of multiple partners, including postsecondary institutions, community-based organizations, businesses and public officials. They seek to invigorate under-resourced schools and communities with an on-going, infusion of human, material and intellectual resources in order to address the teacher preparation and retention crises in our states and nation, as well as the underrepresentation of Latino/a teachers (7.1 percent nationally).
Since its inception in 2005, the TCEP has been an authoritative resource for state policymakers. TCEP uses research to advocate for high-quality education for all, in particular, historically disadvantaged students in Texas public schools.
