Sacred Heart University has become the only institution in the northeast to earn a Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
The nearly $3.4 million grant, awarded in September, will bolster SHU’s Teacher Residency Program (SHUTRP) and help provide hands-on training for aspiring educators. Funding to support recruitment into the teacher residency program will begin this month and continue through 2029.
“The SHU Teacher Residency program is a unique aspect of our graduate programs in elementary, secondary and special education, which combines graduate-level coursework with intense clinical preparation,” said Dr. Rene Roselle, the Department Chair of Teacher Education at SHU.
Farrington College of Education & Human Developement students complete residencies at local schools. Tracy Deer-Mirek, Sacred Heart University
Teacher residencies are similar to medical residences, which are used to train doctors and other health clinicians. Graduate students at SHU are eligible to participate in teacher residencies to gain hands-on experience in classrooms.
According to an article from the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education, research on teacher residencies suggests that they improve retention in teacher education programs and effective practice during teachers’ novice years, contributing to long-term stability and student learning gains in schools.
“Sacred Heart teacher residents gain the content knowledge and teaching skills they need to make a difference in the lives of every student in the classroom,” said Prof. Katie Cunningham, Associate Professor of Education. “The residency takes place in a collaborative mentoring environment where residents learn effective and culturally responsive instructional practices, how to create a welcoming classroom and how to build a sense of community and gain understanding of what students need.”
Funding from the grant came at a time when the need for quality educators for the state of Connecticut is at a record high, according to a SHU press release. The grant money will allow SHU’s Farrington College of Education & Human Development to combat the shortage of teachers in “high-need areas” and craft a diverse workforce of educators.
“The purpose of the grant is to recruit future teachers from underrepresented backgrounds, provide stipends for cohorts within the program, partner residents with a school-based mentor and prepare future educators with the knowledge and skills needed for today’s diverse classrooms,” said Roselle.
Diverse classrooms require teacher adaptation to foster successful learning environments; SHU’s TRP allows prospective teachers to experience this firsthand in a classroom setting.
“Sacred Heart has partnerships with many schools all across Fairfield and New Haven counties including Bridgeport, Fairfield, Trumbull, Norwalk and more,” said Roselle.
SHU has a five-year education program that enables students to earn a bachelor’s degree in an academic major, initial teaching certification and a master’s degree, while participating in a school-based internship or residency during their graduate year. Current undergraduate students enrolled in this five-year program have the opportunity to benefit from the grant in the coming years.
“The grant specifically supports students who become residents in Bridgeport Public Schools and Stamford Public Schools in the areas of secondary science and math (grades 4-12), elementary and special education cross endorsement (PK-6), and special education (PK-12),” said Dr. Sally Drew, associate professor and Special Education Program Director.
One of SHU’s graduate programs that will reap the benefits of the grant is the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) special education program, “Para Pioneers.”
“This program is a once in a lifetime opportunity you just don’t pass up,” said graduate student Shanice Morris. “As a mom working full-time, pursuing a master’s degree in special education sounded pretty farfetched. However, being a Para Pioneer means taking courses in the comfort of your home, having access to certified Special Education teachers and gaining hands-on experience in the field during a yearlong teacher residency. The program is the quickest alternative route to obtaining a master’s in special education.”
“My career is going to elevate from being a building substitute to a certified Special Education teacher in 14 months,” Morris said.
