By Ashley Brown
The Tidewater Education Consortium, which includes Norfolk State University, has reached a significant milestone in its mission to transform teacher education in Virginia. The U.S. Department of Education has awarded TEC approximately $9 million through the Teacher Quality Partnership. This funding will support collaborative efforts among the Isle Wight County and Suffolk Public Schools, alongside the University of Maryland and NSU. The funds aim to improve teacher preparation, boost recruitment efforts, and retain skilled educators with a special emphasis on underserved communities.
To celebrate this achievement, TEC hosted a media announcement event at Norfolk State University, bringing together key stakeholders and dignitaries from the participating institutions to discuss this partnership’s transformative potential.
A Win For Education
Dr. Cynthia Nicholson, associate dean of the School of Education at NSU, highlighted the innovative aspects of the initiative. “In this partnership, it provides a consortium to review curriculum to include best practices for preparing teachers from the perspective of practitioners in the field. Then, NSU students will benefit from the stipends to pay for tuition and costs associated with seeking a degree that prepares them to become teachers,” she explained.
NSU President Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston emphasized the importance of the TQP grant in leveling the playing field for students in the region. “With this $9 million grant, the Teacher Quality Partnership can change the environment that our young people have and opportunities to level the playing field, which is always our responsibility,” she stated.
Current students like honors English education major Gabrielle Parker are excited about the grant’s positive implications. “This program means so much. I hope that more programs such as this one continue to get support for future teachers,” she shared.
The TEC’s commitment to enhancing teacher education and providing resources for aspiring educators marks a significant step toward addressing the educational needs of underserved communities in the region.