Texas A&M University’s College of Education and Human Development has announced the launch of an innovative teacher residency program aimed at addressing the state’s teacher shortage while improving the quality of education in local schools. The program, called “Aggie Educators,” will provide aspiring teachers with a full year of classroom experience alongside veteran educators.
Dr. Michael de Miranda, Dean of the College of Education and Human Development, explained the program’s significance: “This residency model will bridge the gap between theory and practice, ensuring that our graduates are fully prepared to lead their own classrooms from day one. It’s a win-win for our students and for the local school districts.”
Participants in the Aggie Educators program will spend their senior year working full-time in partner school districts, receiving mentorship from experienced teachers while also taking specialized coursework at Texas A&M. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be fully certified and commit to teaching in partner districts for at least three years.
Local school districts have enthusiastically embraced the program, seeing it as a valuable pipeline for recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers. The initiative is also expected to strengthen the university’s partnerships with area schools, fostering greater collaboration in educational research and innovation.
As the program prepares to welcome its first cohort of residents, educators across the state are watching closely, with many hoping that this model could be replicated to address teacher shortages in other regions of Texas.
