THIBODAUX, La. — Nicholls State University will receive $65,000 from the Louisiana Department of Education to continue the Believe and Prepare initiative aimed at producing highly-trained educators better prepared to teach when they leave college.
In an effort to alleviate statewide staffing shortages and issues with teacher retention, the program connects universities with local school districts and places senior education majors in local partner school districts for a full academic year so they can learn alongside an experienced teacher. Nicholls has participated every year since the program started in 2014.
The residency is paired with coursework at the university aimed at providing prospective teachers with the skills to be ready for their first day of teaching when they graduate. Currently in its third year as a pilot program, Believe and Prepare will be implemented statewide in 2018-2019.
Nicholls, which has a long history of collaborating with local school districts, has seven candidates working in Lafourche and one in Terrebonne. That total number is projected to nearly quadruple next year.
“While the Nicholls College of Education has always prepared high-quality teachers, this program provides our candidates with a higher level of preparation with more intensity in the field,” said Dr. Leslie Jones, dean of the College of Education at Nicholls.”It’s that collaboration with the districts and real-life experience that take this program to a different level.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 27, 2016
CONTACT: Jacob Batte, Media Relations and Publications Coordinator, 985.448.4141 or jacob.batte@www.nicholls.edu
