Ga Dept of Education Announces Cultivating Teachers Grant Awardees

The Georgia Department of Education is awarding $350,000 to provide financial support to 38 school districts with Teaching as a Profession Pathway courses, State School Superintendent Richard Woods announced this week.

At its June meeting, the State Board of Education approved Superintendent Woods’ recommendation to award the funds, which are designed to support professional learning for teachers of Teaching as a Profession Pathway courses and recruitment of high school students to participate in the Pathway.

“We are committed to providing support for programs cultivating the next generation of Georgia educators,” Superintendent Woods said. “Teaching is the only profession that impacts all other professions, and we want to ensure we provide the best educational opportunities for students who wish to become teachers.”

In the last several years, there has been a decline in student enrollment in Educator Preparation Programs in Georgia. As a result, school systems have seen a negative impact on their ability to find and recruit teachers. The Cultivating Teachers Grant aims to provide professional learning and educator recruitment support for school districts with scheduled Teaching as a Profession Pathway courses.

Teaching as a Profession is one of more than 100 Career Pathways available to Georgia students through the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education program. Career Pathways allow students to learn skills for real-world careers and earn recognized industry credentials.