The deadline is April 16, for applicants who are interested in joining TEACH/Here, an innovative teacher residency program that will recruit and train highly qualified math and science teachers for hard-to-fill positions in Knox and Hamilton County schools.

TEACH/Here is recruiting recent college graduates who majored in math- or science-related fields or mid-career professionals who have become interested in teaching. TEACH/Here could train as many as 40 new math and science teachers per year - 20 each for Knox County and Hamilton County schools.

Similar to a medical residency program that provides “on-the-job training” for doctors, residents will be placed in a mentoring relationship with a master teacher for one year, where they will work side by side with the master teacher in the classroom for four days per week. On the fifth day, they will take classes from UT to earn both a masters degree and a teaching certificate by the end of their training period.

Based on projected retirements, Hamilton County could need as many as 55 math/science teachers in the next several years.

“Teacher turnover is a real problem,” said Hamilton County Superintendent Dr. Jim Scales. “Many new teachers leave before their third year – mostly because they were not adequately prepared to handle a classroom. This residency program will give teachers a really solid start so that they are very well-prepared when they take over a classroom of their own.

"We know that in other communities that have implemented teacher residency programs, the retention rate rises to over 90%. That is a win-win – it saves money, and it boosts instruction for students.”

Interested candidates can go to the website, http://teachhere.org, to complete their application online before the April 16th deadline.

Currently over 60 applicants, from regional metro areas to large urban cities on the east and west coasts, have accepted the challenge of this opportunity and applied to be residents.

“We are working hard to recruit candidates, and look forward to setting this program in motion this summer,” said TEACH/Here Director Cheri Dedmon. Ms. Dedmon works from the Chattanooga office of the Public Education Foundation, which serves as the lead agency for the initiative.

TVA has contributed funds to boost recruiting efforts for the initiative, which is the result of a unique partnership between Hamilton County schools, Knox County schools, Chattanooga’s Public Education Foundation and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Funding of $75,000 was granted from the National Science Foundation for the initial planning process, and a second request of $1.5 million over five years has been submitted to NSF for consideration. Additional funding is being sought from national and local donors.