As school districts in Northeast Ohio and across the country struggle to find and retain permanent teachers, substitute teachers and staff, Walsh University was selected to receive a grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education to help address the shortages.
Funding totaling $5.2 million has been awarded to 29 four-year colleges and universities as part of a comprehensive statewide effort to address the shortages in Ohio. Walsh received $150,000 to target populations that could enter the workforce within one or two years. The funds will be used to offer scholarships to education students graduating from two-year colleges, such as Stark State and Cuyahoga Community College.
Students with a two-year associate’s degree in Education are encouraged to apply. Applicants must have a GPA of at least a 3.0, be a U.S. citizen and demonstrate financial need. Educators must be committed to teach in an underserved Ohio school district and have a valid BCI/FBI background check with no convictions on file. The 15 highly-qualified educator candidates will begin taking classes at Walsh in the fall.
Assistant Professor of Education Eugenia Johnson-Whitt said the scholarship students would enroll in a four-semester program that starts with an intensive summer session. By the end, the students would have enough credits to complete a bachelor’s degree while acquiring at least two teaching licenses, with one of them certifying them to work with students with special needs. The dual licensure will prepare students to support high-need students within underserved districts, a key focus area for state officials.
