Paraprofessionals and teachers at four metro Atlanta school districts will have the opportunity to earn master’s degrees at Georgia State University without paying tuition or fees.
GSU last week announced a partnership with school systems in Atlanta, Gwinnett County, Newton County and Rockdale County to “help reduce the teacher shortage in Georgia,” according to a news release from the university’s College of Education and Human Development.
The Pathways to Teacher Credentialing Project allows provisionally licensed teachers and paraprofessionals with bachelor’s degrees to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree, preparing them to become certified teachers. Licensed and certified teachers can earn a Master of Education degree.
Gwinnett schools to provide employees with retention bonuses
Participants in the program must make a commitment with their district to remain there for a certain number of years.
“Our partnership with Georgia State University is extremely important because it is creating growth opportunities in teaching for various audiences, which in turn supports retaining staff,” Cathy Harden, Gwinnett’s chief human resources officer, said in a news release.