Bellarmine University partnering with local school district for Louisville Teacher Residency program

Bellarmine University and Jefferson County Public Schools are working together in the form of the Louisville Teacher Residency program. The program, which is currently working to recruit more teachers of color, will serve as an accelerated degree program at Bellarmine University that will help participating individuals receive their master’s degree in teaching in just one year.

According to an article on Bellarmine University’s website, Sylena Fishback, who is the director of the Louisville Teacher Residency program, explained what the program does, and how this partnership with Bellarmine University will expand its offering. Fishback is quoted as saying, “The Louisville Teacher Residency program is an example of JCPS owning and developing the responsibility for educating and training new teachers. This collaboration with Bellarmine will produce motivated, highly trained teachers who want a rewarding career impacting students and families in our community. Our community-wide certification pathway aims to increase the pipeline of quality candidates certified to teach in JCPS and increase teacher retention for some of our most valued school communities.”

The program is for any adult who has a bachelor degree who wants to become a teacher. Their degree need not be in education, and may be useful for individuals who are looking for a career change. The program offers a stipend, a tuition discount at Bellarmine University, and will pair students with a mentor teacher as they will be required to teach four days a week during the program. Once they have completed the program, which includes hybrid-style courses at Bellarmine University, students must go on to teach at a Jefferson County Public Schools Accelerated Improvement School or at another approved school.

Dr. Elizabeth Dinkins, who is the dean of Bellarmine University’s Annsley Frazier Thornton School of Education, said of the collaboration, “Bellarmine is excited to collaborate with JCPS to prepare more teachers for the unique needs of Louisville schools. Our program focuses on developing deep content knowledge and understanding the needs of today’s students. We are also proud that it is extremely accessible, with discounted tuition.”

For more information about Bellarmine University, visit the school’s website.