JACKSONVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas Little Rock and the Jacksonville North Pulaski County School District have partnered on a new way to train future educators.
In a press conference Thursday morning, officials from both institutes announced a new residency program designed to train and retain future teachers.
"It's a completely immersive experience," UALR Dean of the College of Education Sarah Beth Estes said. "What our teacher candidates are doing is they are on site here in Jacksonville. They're on-sire four days a week."
Five teachers signed commitments to continue at JNPSD schools for the entire year. Usually, student-teachers are only at their schools a day or two a week for a few hours at most.
They're also not usually paid – here, they are. It's something JNPSD Superintendent Jeremy Owoh said has them excited for the future.
"That's why I'm wholeheartedly in favor of keeping them right here in Jacksonville," Owoh said. "They'll know our students. They know our community and will be ready on day one."
This can also help with the ever-present teacher shortage plaguing school districts in Arkansas. Estes said it's not perfect, but it's a start.
"It's not enough [and] it won't be enough, but it is one approach," Estes said. "Being day one ready means you're not having a traumatic first year, right, so you are prepared."
For those in the program, it's an exciting time.
"I wanted to be a teacher because I enjoy that click that you see in a student's eyes when something that you're teaching finally sticks," Newly signed teacher to the program Chadwick Comer said.
Comer said he enjoys the program because it's a year-long interview process.
"We don't have to go through an interview process," Comer said. "Filling out applications that the superintendent, the principals, all of the administration have seen what we are capable of, and know what we're capable of, and can get us in the right place and opportunity."