| A&M-Commerce Recognized with Vetted Teacher Residency Distinction |
| COMMERCE, TX—The Texas Education Agency recently designated Texas A&M University-Commerce with the Vetted Teacher Residency distinction along with nine other programs in Texas. Sherri Harwell, director of the Office of Educator Certification and Academic Services at A&M-Commerce, lead efforts to secure the designation. “The Department of Curriculum and Instruction at A&M-Commerce is tirelessly driven to provide world-class preparation for educators,” Harwell said. “It’s a joy to assist them from the certification office as part of that process.” She continued: “It is an honor to have our transformative teacher residency program recognized by the TEA. We are excited for this opportunity to deepen our partnerships with school districts and continue to implement innovative clinical experiences for our preservice teachers.” Programs are selected through a rigorous application process. Qualifying programs must offer high-quality, yearlong teacher residency programs that pair teaching candidates with experienced, highly effective mentor teachers for a full year of clinical training or co-teaching in K-12 classrooms, with a minimum of three days per week. Dr. Kathryn V. Dixon, associate professor of curriculum and instruction at A&M-Commerce, said the department is honored and excited to receive the designation. “With help from the University-School Partnerships for the Renewal of Educator Preparation program (US PREP), we have made substantial strides in transforming our educator preparation program to realize our vision for preparing teacher candidates to meet the needs of their K-12 students from their very first day on the job,” Dixon said. “This is a natural and much-needed next step in meeting our joint goal of preparing and retaining highly qualified K-12 teachers in Texas.” A&M-Commerce is currently working with several school district partners to investigate grant opportunities related to the Vetted Teacher Residency distinction. (TAMUC Signage Image download) ### About Texas A&M University-Commerce Texas A&M University-Commerce serves rural and metropolitan East Texas with a dedicated mission to Educate. Discover. Achieve. With an enrollment of 11,624 students, the university is the third-largest member of The Texas A&M University System. The 2,100-acre Commerce campus provides many opportunities for students to learn and grow. The university offers more than 130 degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. A vibrant student experience includes 14 NCAA Division II athletic teams, a thriving Greek system and more than 120 student-led organizations. Classes are delivered on-site in Commerce, Corsicana, Dallas, McKinney, Frisco and Mesquite. In November 2021, the university will open A&M-Commerce at Dallas, located at 8750 North Central Expressway. Contact: Michael Johnson Executive Director of Marketing and Communications 903.886.5128 [email protected] |
