Teacher shortages are an ongoing problem in the United States. In Kansas alone, there is an estimated 1810 vacancies in the current year (2025). These shortages are in many content and grade level areas. The highest needs can be found in elementary, special education, and STEM fields. In order to help address the need for highly qualified teachers in our area, The Department of Education at Washburn University has developed the Paraprofessionals to Teachers Program (PTP). This program is designed to recruit paraprofessionals and assist them in completing a teacher preparation program. Preference is given to those paraprofessionals who are already serving in classrooms that reflect the areas of highest need. The expectation is that these paraprofessionals will return to the classroom in these same areas and will be prepared to remain in the classroom for the entirety of their careers.
Assisting paraprofessionals to complete teacher licensure can be a successful avenue for recruiting teachers who will stay in the job. Since paraprofessionals are already rooted in the community in which they work, this could increase the possibility that they will stay in the community. And those who have served in the schools as paraprofessionals have a clearer vision of what teaching entails and the demands of the position than those who have only experienced school from the student side of the classroom thus reducing teacher attrition after the first year or two. The Washburn University PTP program attempts to help paraprofessionals reach their goals of teacher licensure through mentoring, offering classes at times that allow them to keep their positions as paraprofessionals and through financial support. This project will help to provide scholarship money for individuals electing to participate in the PTP program.
Donations to the project will support the Paraprofessionals to Teachers Scholarship Fund
Campaign Pillar: Scholarships
