BEREA, Ohio — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from a previous story.
With the COVID-19 pandemic having played a large part in what has become a nationwide teacher shortage, one Northeast Ohio institution is doing its part to help.
On Thursday, Baldwin Wallace University announced a new scholarship program aimed at aiding the ongoing shortage. In partnership with Meteor Learning, the program will allow participants to make a quick career change while eliminating tuition fees for the first 10 students who enroll in Baldwin Wallace’s graduate degree programs in math or science teaching.
According to a release, Baldwin Wallace's accelerated master’s degree for existing bachelor’s degree holders is among the state’s only yearlong, intensive graduate teaching programs. The program targets math and science -- the two subjects where the current teacher shortage is most acute -- and prepares students to teach math or science in grades 7-12, includes mentored field and clinical experiences in local schools.
As a part of the new initiative, grants from the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) bring the tuition for these programs down from $19,980 to just over $7,500. Scholarships from BW and Meteor will then cover the remaining out-of-pocket tuition cost for a limited number of students, with the full scholarship package available to aspiring teachers who enroll in the program beginning in May of 2023.
Following the 2023-24 academic year program, BW will continue to offer scholarships that will reduce tuition by more than half.
“BW believes there are many college graduates and working professionals with STEM educational backgrounds who may have a calling to become a teacher,” said Dr. Stephen Dittmore, dean of the BW College of Education and Health Sciences. “This Ohio-focused program provides a pathway for those individuals to meet both the needs of our students and the future of our workforce.”
Added Dr. Gabriel Swarts, BW associate dean of education: “This scholarship is intended to make the transition into the yearlong focused Master of Education in Science or Math completely attainable for any STEM-educated individual regardless of ability to pay.”
More information on the program and enrollment process can be found by calling (440) 210-4129 or emailing maedadmissions@bw.edu.