Indiana Works To Recruit And Retain Teachers
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INDIANAPOLIS—A nationwide teacher shortage has the Indiana Department of Education is working to “strengthen, expand, and diversify†its educator pipeline through its Attract, Prepare, Retain (APR) Grant.
Applications for the grant are now open and are due Aug. 5. Indiana’s schools, nonprofit organizations, and education service centers can apply for this grant to help attract and retain educators in school buildings across the state.
The grant makes $5 million available from the state’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. The hope is that plans supported by the grant will encourage more students to enroll in educator preparation programs after high school and provide them with more opportunities once they do.
“Like most employers, Indiana’s schools are not immune from the challenges of today’s labor market,†said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education.
There are currently more than 2,300 teaching positions posted on the Indiana Department of Education’s new online job board.
“This grant, alongside other new tools, is focused on empowering our local schools and communities as we work together to spark creative solutions to recruit and retain our very best educators to serve Indiana’s students,†she said.
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81% have had their overall workload increased.
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80% spent more time addressing students’ mental health.
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71% spent more of their own money on classroom materials.
Jenner said the education department needs to help schools address the problem and “support schools with the resources they need to best support our studentsâ€.
Questions about the grant can be directed to eel@doe.in.gov
