For West Chester University’s (WCU) College of Education and Social Work, the answer to fixing the current national teacher pipeline shortage can be found in teaching school districts about Partnering in Raising Inclusive, Zealous Educators (PRIZE). It’s the ultimate PRIZE for children needing loving teachers and school districts searching urgently to hire lots of qualified, dedicated educators. 

In keeping with this quest, three recent WCU PRIZE students, who will be College Education majors in the fall, will be celebrated as they sign commitment declarations to pursue academic journeys that will lead to careers as future Teachers in their home school districts on Thursday, Jun. 27, 2:30-3:30 PM (West Chester University Foundation, 202 Carter Drive, West Chester). 

In addition to school district partners and generous program sponsors, among those watching the ceremonial signing will be seven high school PRIZE students who plan to pursue teacher preparation at WCU and eventually become educators in their own school districts.

“Pledging unwavering zeal to create a classroom where every voice is heard, every perspective valued, and every individual celebrated,” will be WCU PRIZE students Hannah Giampietro (home school: Kennett High School), Cecelia Perrotti (home school: Kennett High School), and Carmelena Smith (home school: Plymouth Whitemarsh High School).

Presiding over the first-time ceremony will be the Dean of WCU’s College of Education and Social Work Dr. Desha Williams, who created and launched the PRIZE program in January 2023 to help solve the national teacher pipeline shortage by teaching school districts how to “grow their own.” Among those providing inspirational testimonies during the ceremony will be Kristina Williams, a current WCU PRIZE Ambassador who, as an undergraduate Education major, serves as one of many mentors to the high school students, and the Superintendent of Kennett Consolidated School District, Dr. Dusty Blakey, who signed on as the first District Partner of the PRIZE program.

School districts are raising their hands high to participate in the innovative PRIZE program. Since its inception, the University has linked arms with such partners as Avon Grove School District (Avon); Chester Upland School District (Chester); Colonial School District (Plymouth Meeting); Kennett Square Consolidated School District (Kennett); New Hope-Solebury School District (New Hope); and Rose Tree Media School District (Media). Conversations are ongoing with additional area school districts that wish to join in, too.

As a new program, PRIZE has admitted 16 students, with more being admitted on a rolling basis for the 2024-2025 academic year.

During a recent public hearing on Pennsylvania’s Teacher Shortage before the House Education Committee, Williams spoke passionately about the need for similar programs in the Commonwealth to inspire younger generations to pursue careers in education.

“January 2024 marked the first anniversary of PRIZE, and I am excited to report that on Mar. 8, Governor Shapiro stated during a press conference that PRIZE should serve as a model for teacher recruitment,” Williams said. “PRIZE has been fortunate enough to work with our district partners in a way that allows aspiring teachers to begin their journey free of charge. PRIZE also benefits from generous donors and non-profit organizations who support book scholarships, as well as paid opportunities for current education students to visit high school events to tell their stories. These important activities work to inspire others to explore and enter teaching professions. The generosity also helps fund a weeklong summer academy designed to provide even greater exposure into being an education major at West Chester University, while building bonds between the students.”

West Chester University’s PRIZE Program is supported by such generous sponsors as Dr. Judith Finkel ’73, Chester Community Charter School, Justamere Foundation, Rob Dash, Esq. and Debbie Dash, as well as others.

West Chester University’s PRIZE program is designed to increase the number of teacher candidates in today’s pipeline, while significantly boosting the number of teacher candidates from diverse backgrounds. The program, which was launched in January 2023, features opportunities for participating high school juniors or seniors with a 2.8 or higher high school GPA to take college-level education classes at WCU while attending their high schools; all costs are covered by the University as well as the partnering school district. The University admits all participating students who earn a minimum 3.0 high school GPA or who earn a grade of “C” or better in their college education courses.

Peer-to-peer support is a critical component of the project, too. Dubbed PRIZE Ambassadors, undergraduate Education majors have been tapped to serve as mentors to keep the high school students on track and inspired along the way. In addition to being immersed in a host of leadership development and internship opportunities, rising high school seniors and/or graduated seniors participate in a summer on-campus experience at the University.

The PRIZE will be when these participating students return to their home school districts to complete their student-teaching requirements, graduate from West Chester University, and then return to their home districts as Teachers.

PRIZE is destined to be a game-changer and the timing is right for such an initiative. According to Williams, the Commonwealth is experiencing a drastic increase in the need for teachers. In 2022-2023, the Commonwealth issued 5,577 new certifications, as opposed to 25,728 in 2012-2013. While research documents positive impacts on student learning when teachers represent diverse backgrounds, only 6.4 percent of teachers in Pennsylvania identify as persons of color; 35.1 percent of students in the Commonwealth identify as students of color.

Williams, a long-time educator who developed a series of successful pathway programs in Ga. to prepare teachers for ethnically diverse student populations in rural, urban, and suburban environments, is adamant that the teaching profession needs to change its strategy.

Learn more at West Chester University, the largest university within Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). Founded in 1871, West Chester University is a comprehensive public institution offering a diverse range of more than 180 academic opportunities in 40 fields of study across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. In addition to its main campus in West Chester, the University offers programs through its graduate center, the campus in Philadelphia, and online.