Growing Our Own: University Programs Address Teacher Shortage
Bridget Weiss, Ed. D., Liaison to the Alaska College of Education Consortium
The University of Alaska is highly engaged in being part of the solution in responding to the need for more teachers in Alaska. Through the work of the three Schools of Education, a consortium was formed in 2021 in order to leverage a coordinated and complementary effort between the three Universities, UAA, UAF, and UAS. The Alaska College of Education Consortium is engaged in specific programming changes and enhancements to adapt to the growing need in our PK-12 educator workforce. Through project development and a variety of partnership opportunities, each University is actively developing new opportunities and continuing to look for additional, innovative ways to support more Alaskans in their journey to become teachers and counselors .
If you or someone you know is considering becoming a teacher but needs help figuring out where to start, look only as far as the University of Alaska system. Visit Teach Alaska to explore the options and the range of pathways offered to help you become certified. With the introduction of the UA Teacher Internship Scholarship, pursuing your degree in education has never been more affordable.
The UA Teacher Internship Scholarship is part of the Alaska College of Education Consortium’s commitment to providing Alaskans with accessible routes to becoming teachers. Across the nation, teacher preparation programs and state policies are evolving to support aspiring teachers by offering financial compensation during their internships.
At the core of all UA initial licensure pathways is a supervised internship experience. However, many prospective teacher candidates need help when they realize that a full-time internship requires stepping down from their current job, full or part-time. Committing to a year of training means assuming the financial burden of tuition and fees, along with the absence of a salary and benefits. This quickly becomes an insurmountable obstacle, but research shows that a well prepared teacher, with substantial school based experience under a mentor teacher of record, is three times more likely to stay in the teaching profession.
The new internship scholarship program addresses both of these barriers. In its inaugural year, the program awarded $1.3 million to 75 Alaska teacher candidates within their final 30-60 credits of preparation. This includes undergraduates in initial licensure programs at UAA, UAF, or UAS, as well as graduate candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education and seek certification through a post-baccalaureate pathway. The scholarship application period for the 2025-26 school year will open in January.
Recipients of the scholarship receive complete coverage of tuition and fees at UA Schools of Education, along with a stipend of up to $10,000 to assist with living expenses during their internship.
The U.S. Department of Labor has also recently acknowledged teaching as an apprenticeable profession, emphasizing the importance of on-the-job training for teachers. Research supports the notion that a year-long internship with a qualified teacher of record improves K-12 student outcomes and increases the likelihood that the individual will remain in the teaching profession. Great progress has been made in the last year with the University’s involvement in Registered Teacher Apprenticeship programming and will continue to develop in the coming year.
Many UA education programs incorporate a full year of student teaching, ensuring that candidates experience the complete spectrum of classroom management and curricular scope from the first day to the last. Interns become fully immersed in their school’s culture, practicing communication strategies with parents, designing and delivering lessons, differentiating assessments, witnessing students’ growth, and developing their educational philosophy and materials to bring into their future classrooms.
We believe that affordable, high-quality, internship-based teacher certification programs will improve retention and reduce turnover in Alaska’s school districts. Growing our own teachers is critical to the mission of reducing the teacher shortage and to long term success of our Alaskan students.
University of Alaska education programs are aligned with and support the five goals of Alaska’s Education Challenge as set by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. The first of those goals is to support all students to read at grade level by the end of third grade, an effort backed up by the 2022 Alaska Reads Act. Faculty from the Early Childhood (PK-3) licensure program at UAA, and the Elementary (K-8) licensure programs at UAF and UAS have attended professional development activities related to the act and to Alaska’s Reading Playbook, and courses at both UAF and UAS have been approved by DEED to meet the reading endorsement requirements. Our graduates will walk across the stage certified in the area necessary for PK-3 teaching positions before they arrive in districts throughout the state.
UA’s teacher education programs are designed to meet students where they are, with online program delivery options and a vast network across Alaska to support local placements. We must ensure every Alaskan who aspires to become a teacher has the resources to pursue their dreams. By investing in the preparation and certification of local Alaskans who possess an intimate understanding of their communities and a commitment to staying, we can achieve long-term workforce stability.
The University of Alaska has nationally accredited and state approved programs to support anyone interested in pursuing a career in education from teaching in Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, being a counselor, or entering Educational Leadership through a Principal or Superintendent role. Whether you already have an undergraduate degree or are just beginning, we have a program for you. To explore these opportunities, visit our website at Teach Alaska.
Amy Vinlove is dean of the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Education.
Carlee Simon is interim dean of the University of Alaska Southeast School of Education.
Tonia Dousay is dean of the University of Alaska Anchorage School of Education.
Bridget Weiss is the Liaison to the Alaska College of Education Consortium
The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Alaska School Boards. AASB welcomes diverse perspectives and civil discourse. To submit a Guest Column for consideration, see our Guest Column Guidelines and email your 400-1000 word submission HERE.