DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — In a bid to bolster teacher retention and combat a critical shortage of educators, the DeKalb County School District is on the cusp of expanding its Ignite Teacher Residency Program pending a crucial vote on Monday evening.
The Ignite program, which launched in January, aims to cultivate a new generation of educators by offering intensive training and support. Dr. Angelica Collins, Director of Employment Services for DeKalb County Schools, revealed that the district is poised to focus the program's next phase specifically on special education.
"We're only going to be concentrating on one specific subject area, which will be special-ed for this cohort," Dr. Collins explained during a recent interview.
The program targets individuals without prior educational backgrounds, providing them with pedagogical training and support to pursue a master's degree in education. Upon program completion, successful participants are guaranteed a teaching position within the district for five years.
According to Dr. Collins, the school board is considering a partnership with Kennesaw State University to further develop and enhance the Ignite program.
Verdailia Turner, President of the Georgia Federation of Teachers, expressed optimism about the potential program expansion. Turner highlighted the urgent need for highly qualified educators, emphasizing the importance of addressing the underlying issues impacting classrooms.
"DeKalb County, one of our largest school districts, has filled every classroom to capacity except for about 2%. We are interested in having teachers who are highly qualified as opposed to warm bodies," Turner asserted.
Despite the promising strides, Turner underscored the importance of a comprehensive approach to addressing classroom concerns.
"Until we really get to some of the root causes of the problems in our classrooms, then we're not going to solve the problem 100%," Turner remarked.
The fate of the Ignite Teacher Residency Program expansion hangs in the balance as the DeKalb County School District's board prepares to convene for a critical vote later this evening.