PVAMU’s new teacher residency program to boost teacher diversity, transform under-resourced classrooms

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PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Nov. 14, 2024) - Prairie View A&M University is launching an ambitious teacher residency initiative to address a critical need: providing quality educators in hard-to-staff schools while increasing teacher diversity. Through the Panther Teacher Education Residency Model (pantherTERM), PVAMU is set to prepare a new wave of educators ready to make a lasting impact.

Supported by a $3.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program, pantherTERM aims to advance PVAMU's Whitlowe R. Green College of Education's current teacher residency programs, developing and deploying skilled educators committed to serving underserved schools. The program will support 100 students-80 undergraduate and 20 graduate-by blending classroom-based training with hands-on teaching experience in partnership with school districts facing high teacher shortages.

The grant, secured through the collaboration of Dr. Britine Perkins, assistant professor in PVAMU's Department of Curriculum and Instruction, and Texas A&M University's Dr. Valerie Hill-Jackson, assistant professor in the Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development, highlights the program's emphasis on diversifying the teaching workforce and expanding the impact of the WRGCOE.

"We're excited; the Hawkins grant is the second award in as many years from the Department of Education that Hill-Jackson presented to WRGCOE as the grant writer and principal investigator. Being able to address one of my passion areas of removing major barriers to increasing the teacher pipeline, such as finances, makes this so meaningful for me," said Perkins. Honored to continue the partnership, Hill-Jackson said, "WRGCOE's commitment to teamwork and innovation catapults them as the go-to preparation program for teacher residencies in Texas. I am a firm believer that cross-institution collaboration works!"

PantherTERM will incorporate evidence-based practices and strong mentorship to equip aspiring teachers with the skills needed to succeed in the classroom and inspire future generations. This program also advances the long-standing role of HBCUs, like PVAMU, in training nearly 50% of all Black educators in the U.S., as noted by the U.S. Department of Education.

With this new funding, PVAMU will advance its leadership in teacher preparation, with expected outcomes that reach far beyond graduation. By retaining and developing quality educators who are ready to thrive in the environments that need them most, pantherTERM underscores PVAMU's mission to empower communities through education.

Dr. Anthony Harris, interim dean of the WRGCOE at PVAMU, said, "Our college has been recognized by the State Board for Educator Certification for exemplary performance in two commendation categories: 'Preparing the Educators Texas Needs' and 'Preparing Educators for Long-Term Success.' This newest Hawkins grant award is a testament to our commitment to these important endeavors."

-PVAMU-