Reimbursable Teacher Support Available

UTeach for Texas helps Texas school districts meet the challenges of recruiting, developing, and retaining highly effective teachers through a Texas Education Agency (TEA) reimbursable program.

Providing support and guidance is key to retention of teachers new to the profession. Districts are hiring a large number of teachers who have not completed a traditional teacher preparation program and, in many cases, are uncertified. These teachers require more guidance and coaching, but districts often do not have the capacity to implement an effective support structure.

The New Teacher Support Network is an online program facilitated by an expert coach providing a community of support for any early career educator new to a school district. The coaching team is comprised of veteran K-12 educators and higher education faculty. The program draws on the nationally recognized UTeach undergraduate program with over 25 years of preparing and supporting teachers from Texas universities across the state.

Program participation includes virtual observations with feedback, classroom management strategies, and lesson planning assistance. Each participant receives an interactive journal with blended activities to personalize instruction for all students. There are also teacher wellness supports available for those in need. A new teacher toolkit, 10 Tips and Resources for Starting the Year Strong, is available to any teacher seeking support.

All fees are reimbursable from TEA through Rider 49 of the General Appropriations Act of the 88th Texas Legislature. The district must pay fees upfront, then submit for reimbursement at the conclusion of the program. Support is provided for a full year (10 months) for $2,750 per teacher or a half year (five months) for $1,500 per teacher. Funds reimbursed by TEA may be placed into any district fund.

For information regarding the program visit the UTeach for Texas website, email uteachfortexas@utexas.edu, or call 512-232-0687.