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| Wilson Introduces ‘21st Century Teaching Scholarships Act’ |
May 12, 2001 |
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Lawmaker adds provisions for teacher mentoring, alternative certification and loan forgiveness
Albuquerque, NM - Congresswoman Heather Wilson this week introduced a plan in the U.S. House of Representatives to address the teacher crisis New Mexico and the country faces in the coming years. Experts estimate that New Mexico will lack 1,500 teachers yearly over the next 10 years. Wilson, a mother of two school-age children herself, hopes to provide the framework for a comprehensive plan for teacher recruitment and retention.
Wilson’s announcement came today as more than 400 education students at UNM’s College of Education graduate and prepare for a career in the classroom. Wilson was one of the keynote speakers at today’s commencement exercises.
“Education happens in the classroom between a teacher and a child,” says Wilson. “The two most important factors determining a child’s success in school are parental involvement and the quality of the teacher. Giving our teachers the tools and knowledge they need to be successful matters and I’ll keep fighting for that.”
To provide incentives for individuals to enter the teaching field, Wilson`s bill provides teacher scholarships, loan forgiveness, and funding for states` alternative teacher certification programs. Under Wilson’s plan, students 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 introduced a bill in the last Congress that only included these scholarships.
This year, Wilson expanded the scholarship bill to include funding for teacher mentoring programs. Veteran educators would mentor beginning teachers who work in the same subject area, and mentoring activities would have to be consistent with State professional development programs and performance standards. Through this provision, Wilson seeks to stem high turn-over rates as teachers begin their careers, since one-third of teachers leave the profession within the first five years. Like doctors in their medical residency and lawyers as associates, teacher supported by a senior colleague will become skilled more quickly and are more likely to stay in the profession.
Wilson’s bill also allows funding to states for alternative certification programs. Many talented professionals, with valuable experience but a lack of teaching credentials, are discouraged from entering the teaching profession because they have to go back to undergraduate school to fulfill the traditional teacher certification requirements. Wilson hopes to address both teacher supply and quality by providing pathways to the teaching field other than the traditional route, while still ensuring that individuals who complete these programs meet State standards.
The loan forgiveness portion of Wilson’s legislation could forgive up to $20,000 for teachers who stay in the classroom for at least 3 years. The legislation allows for loan forgiveness after 3 years of teaching, up to $5,000, and then an additional portion not to exceed $7,500 at the end of each of the next 2 consecutive complete school years of service. If enacted, the provision will apply to new teachers-those who have not been employed in an elementary or secondary school prior to August 1, 2001.
The initial idea for Wilson’s teaching proposal came during a 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 feels that a combination of scholarships, student loan forgiveness, and mentoring and alternative certification programs gets to the heart of encouraging talented young people to enter the teaching profession.
“We want the best teachers possible for our children,” said Wilson. “Great teachers are the cornerstone of all good schools. The more we can do to prepare exceptional people for the profession of teaching, the better chance we have of making our schools the envy of the world.”
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