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| Wilson talks teaching |
February 12, 2001 |
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Federal Lawmaker proposes tuition incentives for new teachers
Albuquerque, NM — Congresswoman Heather Wilson spoke today about a plan she has to address the teacher crisis New Mexico and the country faces in the coming years. Under Wilson’s plan, students at the University of New Mexico School of Education and others seeking to become teachers could be eligible for a $10,000 annual scholarship. In return for the scholarship, the students would commit to teaching 2 years for every year of scholarship assistance, not to exceed 6 years per recipient.
Wilson detailed her plan before a group of UNM students attending the School of Education.
“Education happens in the classroom between a teacher and a child,” Wilson told the class. “The two most important factors determining a child’s success in school are parental involvement and the quality of the teacher. Teacher training matters and I’ll keep fighting for it.”
The idea for Wilson’s proposal came during the congressional field hearing that she organized in January 2000. During the hearing, a number of education experts from New Mexico expressed concern about the growing shortage of qualified teachers facing schools across the state. As a result of numerous follow-up meetings and consultations with local education officials, Wilson settled on this scholarship plan as a way to help encourage more young people to enter the teaching profession.
“We want the best and the brightest as our children’s teachers, and we need to keep them honing their skills once they are in the classroom,” said Wilson. “Great teachers are the cornerstone of all good schools. The more we can do to bring more bright young people into the teaching profession, the better chance we have of making our schools the envy of the world.”
High school graduates or certified teachers pursuing additional education would be eligible for up to 5 years of tuition assistance;
$10,000 scholarship for full-time students and a $5,000 scholarship for part-time students per year;
Scholarship recipients commit to teaching 2 years for every year of scholarship assistance, not to exceed 6 years per recipient;
Recipients will be selected by state wide panels, and selection will be based on merit;
The state may set aside 35% of scholarships for applicants who will commit to programs of study that will address teacher shortages;
The bill would authorize $260,000,000 in federal funding for the first year of the program—enough for about 2,500 full time scholarships nationwide, or about 250 per year for New Mexicans. |
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