Spectrum News 1: Grant program helps universities retain, recruit more teachers

A nearly $25 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education is slated to help schools recruit, prepare, develop and keep teachers.

According to a Spectrum News 1 report, the University of Cincinnati is one of 22 schools to receive money from the five-year grants. In the first year, UC will receive $673,912.

The news heartens students like Cierra Gordon, a fourth-year education student at UC whom Spectrum interviewed regarding the grant announcement.

“I really just want to be able to make an impact on my community, on younger students, especially minority students who don’t have as much representation,” Gordon said in the interview.

It’s been estimated that there is a national teacher’s shortage that surpasses 500,000, post pandemic.  

Despite current obstacles inherent to the profession such as salary, Gordon still hopes to become either a math or language arts teacher.

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Featured image at top courtesy of the National Institutes for Health.