Golden Apple, Blackburn College and Regional Office Of Education 40 Announce Partnership To Help Address Region’s Teacher Shortage Crisis
New Accelerators Program, to launch in the 2020/2021 School Year
CARLINVILLE (December 11, 2019) – With Illinois facing a shortage of 1,800 high-quality educators, and the country forecasted to face a shortage of 200,000 teachers nationally by 2025, Golden Apple is launching an initiative to address this crisis and help fill critical positions throughout our state: the Golden Apple Accelerators Program, a new teacher residency and licensure program that will expedite the preparation of highly-qualified teachers in areas of the state most in need, including central Illinois. Blackburn College and the Regional Office of Education #40 (ROE 40) are among two of Golden Apple’s partners in the program’s inaugural year.
To kick-off the new partnership, Blackburn College hosted an event at the Lumpkin Learning Commons that included State Senator (D 48), Andy Manar; Golden Apple President, Alan Mather; Blackburn Interim President and Provost, John McClusky; ROE #40 Superintendent, Michelle Mueller; Blackburn Professor and Former Golden Apple Scholar, Michelle Stacy; Blackburn Education Department Chair, Cindy Rice; and Blackburn Golden Apple Scholars.
“The teacher shortage crisis demands our immediate attention as it poses a real threat to the future of students in every corner of our state, especially the most vulnerable who are from economically challenged communities with underfunded and under-resourced schools,” said Alan Mather, President of Golden Apple. “There is no greater priority facing the education community today, and as an organization that has successfully championed this work, we are positioned to meet this head on and are very excited to count Blackburn College and ROE 40 among our partners.”
The Accelerators program is recruiting (1) college seniors not already in a teacher preparation program and (2) career changers who hold a bachelor’s degree. Thanks to the Illinois General Assembly, which approved $750,000 in funding for year one of the program in May of 2019, and Governor Pritzker who signed the bill shortly after its passage, the Accelerators program is accepting applicants until February 20, 2020.
“The promise of public education starts with bright and highly-qualified classroom leaders. While we work to address the root causes of our teacher shortage, the Accelerators program will help usher talented young professionals into the Central and Southern Illinois classrooms that need them the most,” said Andy Manar, State Senator (D 48). “I was proud to advocate for this innovative new partnership in the General Assembly, and I know it will have a positive impact on Illinois students for years to come.”
In the program’s inaugural year, Golden Apple will recruit and prepare 50 candidates who will begin their training in the summer of 2020, earn their teaching license by summer of 2021, and enter the profession of teaching in the 2021/22 school year.
“Partnering with Golden Apple to address the Illinois teacher shortage crisis is a natural fit for Blackburn and our excellent Education program,” said John McClusky, incoming Interim President of Blackburn College. "As the only student-managed Work Program in the nation, Blackburn has always sought to find innovative solutions for systemic problems. That’s why we are excited and honored to join with Golden Apple on the 'Accelerators' program to help solve Illinois’s teacher shortage. Students deserve excellent teachers and Golden Apple is a proven leader in the space."
The Accelerators program will provide a one-year residency and training program, which will serve the dual purpose of providing immediate, additional teaching assistance to understaffed districts while better preparing the cohort of new teachers through significant experience in active classrooms. Highly qualified mentors from Golden Apple will oversee the preparation.
“There are few greater threats to our education system today than the shortage of teachers in our schools,” said Michelle Mueller, Superintendent of the Regional Office of Education #40, another Golden Apple Accelerators partner. “It stretches our school communities thin and takes opportunities away from already vulnerable students, including those with special needs, from low-income backgrounds, and English language learners. We are excited to partner with Golden Apple to address this shortage and train talented new teachers who can help give these students all that they deserve and more to reach their full potential.”
Golden Apple is partnering with Blackburn College, Eastern Illinois University and ROEs: 3, 13, 39, 40 and 47. Here’s how the partnership will work: Partner districts will provide a valuable residency placement to an Accelerator; place a mentor teacher from the district with the Accelerator; allow for appropriate release time to complete university coursework; and partner to hire the Accelerator and enhance the development of the Accelerator in the two years following the residency.
Golden Apple will recruit program participants who are:
College seniors and career changers with bachelor’s degrees not in teaching but with backgrounds that will help them to teach in high-need areas, such as special education and STEM.
Committed to four years of teaching in southern, central, or western Illinois school districts.
Program participants will receive:
A $30,000 stipend to apply towards coursework or housing as they pursue their teaching license
Teaching licensure within 15 months
A one-year residency and training program in a targeted partner school district in southern, central or western Illinois
Coursework at a partner university
Job placement in a partner school district in southern, central or western Illinois
Instruction from award-winning educators
Mentoring support for the first years of teaching
In addition to the Accelerators program, Golden Apple is addressing the teacher shortage through its established Scholars program, which is a longer-term solution that uniquely prepares high school seniors and first- and second-year Illinois college students to thrive in the most challenging school environments where resilient teachers are needed the most. In response to the teacher shortage, this year marks the fifth consecutive year that Golden Apple has inducted more than 200 Scholars into the program. In total, more than 800 undergraduates are preparing to become teachers via the Golden Apple Scholars program filling vacancies in schools-of-need throughout Illinois.
About Golden Apple
Golden Apple’s mission is to inspire, develop and support teacher and school leader excellence in Illinois, especially in schools-of-need. Our leading-edge preparation delivers exceptional teachers who make an impact. We help students thrive in the classroom and in life. Since our beginning, we have recognized master educators annually; and, these master educators prepare the future generation of teachers. Our vision is an Illinois in which every classroom has a great teacher and to realize this, we are committed to making a material difference in resolving the teacher shortage throughout Illinois. Visit www.goldenapple.org/accelerators for more information.