01.26.17 – Northwestern State University and Natchitoches parish schools will receive grant dollars from the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to advance the state-wide shift to full-year residencies for all aspiring teachers.

Although final numbers are not available, NSU requested $85,000 of the $1 million allocated to universities, and Natchitoches parish schools should receive $10,000 of the over $500,000 allocated to school districts, said Dr. Kimberly McAlister, head of NSU’s Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Counseling.

“NSU is completing its third pilot of having undergraduate early childhood and elementary education teacher candidates teach for an entire year in a single placement,” McAlister said.  “Currently, we have teacher candidates completing a full year of residency at Weaver Elementary and Fairview Elementary. We are working to transition all undergraduate teacher education programs (secondary and K-12 programs) to this full year of residency.” Read more.

Read more about the Believe & Prepare initiative and grants.