Golden Apple launches new program to help address teacher shortage crisis in Michigan
Michigan High School Seniors through College Sophomores Encouraged to Apply to Inaugural Cohort of Teacher Preparation Program to Fill the Need for Highly-Qualified Educators in Communities Across the State
MICHIGAN - The Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching, a leading nonprofit committed to preparing, supporting, and mentoring aspiring teachers, announced it is accepting applications for the inaugural cohort of the Golden Apple Scholars program in Michigan. The teacher preparation and mentorship program will build a pipeline of highly effective teachers to help address the teacher shortage crisis in the state. According to a recent report from the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative, in the 2022-2023 school year, Michigan schools experienced nearly 1,800 full-time teaching vacancies. The state is facing declining enrollment in Educator Preparation Programs at alarming rates - specifically witnessing a 67% drop in enrollment in collegiate education preparation programs since 2008.
“There are aspiring educators in every corner of Michigan who just need a pathway to get there. The Golden Apple Scholars program helps rising high school and college students become great teachers in the communities they’re a part of, providing the necessary support, mentorship, and classroom experience along the way,” said Alan Mather, President of Golden Apple. “We aspire to a day where every single Michigan student is taught by a great teacher, and we believe the Scholars program can help contribute to the work being done in the state to make that vision a reality.”
Targeted toward high school seniors and freshman and sophomore college students, the Scholars program is a teacher preparation program that recruits and supports students who commit to earning an education degree and teaching license from a Michigan college or university and teach for five years in a school-of-need. Scholars receive up to $15,000 in financial assistance, extensive classroom teaching experience, academic and social-emotional support, job placement assistance and mentoring from Golden Apple’s award-winning teaching faculty. Caycee Sledge, who previously worked in the Kalamazoo Public Schools, will serve as Golden Apple’s Chief Program Officer in Michigan.
“The Golden Apple Scholars program has a proven track record of not only getting educators into the classroom, but keeping them there. We are proud to have the opportunity to launch the Scholars program here in Michigan and are grateful to all of the incredible partners we’ve met in recent months who are supportive of our work,” said Alicia Winckler, CEO of Golden Apple. ““Educators have the opportunity to help shape our future generations, and we encourage all eligible Michiganders to apply to be part of this first cohort.”
Michigan residents who are high school seniors, freshmen or sophomores in college, or enrolled in community college are eligible to apply now at www.goldenapple.org/scholars-michigan through April 1, 2024. The inaugural cohort will include 30-50 Scholars, who will receive extensive classroom teaching experience, instruction from award-winning educators, job placement assistance upon graduation from college, a stipend, and mentoring throughout every step of their journey.
“Michigan’s teacher shortage compounds the challenges we already face in ensuring equitable college access for students. The work of Golden Apple to recruit aspiring educators and help them on their path to the classroom is in perfect alignment with how we support our communities through other programs like AdviseMI,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, Executive Director of the Michigan College Access Network. “It's great to see the Golden Apple team launch their Scholars program here in Michigan. We encourage all of those with a passion to teach to apply to be a part of this historic first cohort.”
The Golden Apple Scholars program in Michigan builds upon over 30 years of similar efforts in Illinois, where the program has consistently improved teacher retention rates. The program expanded to New Mexico in 2022 and is accepting applications for its third cohort. Over 80% of Scholars who begin teaching stay in the profession for more than five years, a higher retention rate than any other teaching preparation program. Throughout the history of the program, more than half of Golden Apple Scholars have been Scholars of color and 97% of Scholars find employment within 90 days of graduation.
Visit www.goldenapple.org/scholars-michigan for more information, or to apply to the inaugural Scholars cohort.
About Golden Apple
Golden Apple’s mission is to inspire, develop and support teacher and school leader excellence, especially in schools-of-need. Our leading-edge preparation delivers exceptional teachers who make a positive and sustained 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 one 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. Visit www.goldenapple.org for more information.