Region 4 Grants Will Help School Districts to Grow a Robust Teacher Pipeline

 

 

 

Houston, TX — Region 4 Education Service Center is proud to award three grants in the amount of $80,000 each to two local traditional school districts and one open-enrollment charter school system. Fort Bend ISD, Spring ISD, and Odyssey Academy will use these additional dollars to fund a sustainable teacher apprenticeship and residency program in their district.

 

Homegrown teacher programs help districts strengthen their pipeline of educators, which is critically important during a time when many school systems are facing shortages in talent and need to bolster their recruitment efforts. It also provides a pathway toward certification, ensuring that every student in our area receives high-quality instruction.

 

“Region 4 exists to support our local districts as they tackle complex challenges, and so we are proud to enable the creation of these highly effective teacher residency programs,” said Dr. Rodney Watson, Executive Director of Region 4. “With nearly 20 applicants, it was a difficult decision to choose three recipients. However, their success will be a model and a call to action for more investment from our community.”

 

Once hired, the district coordinators in these roles will receive direct support from the Teacher Pipeline Initiatives team at Region 4, which is part of the educator development workstream. These coordinators will have access to resources and expert support from Region 4 as they establish a registered apprenticeship program for their district.

 

The grant funds were made available to Region 4 through the generosity of the Houston Endowment, a private foundation that works to improve the quality of life for everyone in Greater Houston. The Foundation supports efforts to increase the number of teachers who are well-prepared to improve student outcomes and well-supported to stay in the classroom.

 

“The evidence shows that when teachers are trained and certified in a high-quality program, students are more successful, and teachers stay in the classroom longer. Having well-prepared teachers in every classroom is essential to the success of all of our region’s students and to the future growth and prosperity of Greater Houston,” said Ann B. Stern, Houston Endowment President and CEO. “This innovative partnership between Region 4 and local school districts will help to transform the educator preparation landscape and build a more impactful teacher workforce.”

 

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About Region 4 Education Service Center
Region 4 Education Service Center (Region 4) is one of 20 regional education service centers established by the Texas Legislature in 1967 to assist school districts and charter schools in improving efficiencies and student performance. Regional education service centers are nonregulatory, intermediate education units. Texas Education Code, Chapter 8, gives each school district the opportunity to voluntarily be served by and participate with a regional education service center.

 

Region 4 serves an eight-county area comprised of 48 public school districts and 41 open-enrollment charter schools, representing more than 1.2 million students, 165,000 educators, and 1,500 campuses. To learn more, visit esc4.net. 

About Houston Endowment

Houston Endowment is a private foundation established in 1937 by Jesse H. Jones and his wife, Mary Gibbs Jones, to improve the quality of life for everyone in Greater Houston. Today, it has more than $2 billion in assets and invests about $100 million a year in three priorities: strengthen public education, increase civic engagement, and enhance the region’s arts and parks. Working with fellow Houstonians, Houston Endowment pursues bold goals, builds partnerships, and invests in innovative solutions rooted in equity and evidence to create a vibrant region where all have the opportunity to thrive.