A&M-Texarkana Education Program Named as a Prestigious Raising Texas Teacher Partner

TEXARKANA, Texas – The teacher preparation program at Texas A&M University-Texarkana was recently notified that it has been accepted as a Raising Texas Teacher Partner with the Charles Butt Foundation.

The foundation seeks to create a culture of continuous improvement within the state’s university-based higher education programs. Their goal is to ensure the best preparation possible for future educators so that they are ready for day 1 in a classroom when they graduate. Educators who are well prepared for the classroom are also more likely to stay in the classroom, increasing the state’s overall teacher retention rate.

As a Raising Texas Teacher partner university, the teacher preparation program at A&M-Texarkana will receive:

• Financial support ranging from $50,000 to $150,000 annually
  • Monthly improvement coaching support from the Charles Butt Foundation
  • Training and coaching support from TeachingWorks to support the implementation of practice-based teacher pedagogy
  • Training and coaching from WestEd to enhance the university’s use of data to drive continuous improvement.

The partnership also allows students in the university’s education program to apply for the Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers. Scholarship recipients are selected from partner institutions by the Charles Butt Foundation through a rigorous screening process. The foundation selects talented, aspiring teachers who show leadership potential and provides $8,000-$10,000 in financial assistance per year for up to four years.

“We are extremely proud that our teacher preparation program has been selected for this prestigious partnership,” said Texas A&M University-Texarkana President Dr. Ross Alexander. “There are only a small number of programs in the state who are selected. This speaks to the hard work and dedication our faculty put into preparing the next generation of Texas teachers,” added Alexander. “This partnership will allow our university to continue to grow and be innovative in the ways we prepare students for the classroom, and we are thrilled that our students will now be able to apply for the Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers.”

For more information about the A&M-Texarkana partnership with Raising Texas Teachers and the Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers please contact the education department at the university by email at education@tamut.edu.