MSU - Pathways for Paras Grant Opportunity
This is National Apprenticeship Week and those of us at Missouri State have some exciting news about a new grant we've received that will allow us to expand apprenticeship programs in Missouri school districts. We know this is late notice, but this Friday at 2 p.m. in Kentwood Hall on our campus, we're going to have an event to not only celebrate our new Pathways for Paras apprenticeship program, but also to announce some exciting news about this huge federal grant. At the event we'll spell out the plan for this future expansion of apprenticeships at Missouri State and we thought you and some of your staff might like to attend to hear more about this project. If you're unable to attend, we'd appreciate it if you'd forward this email to your special education director. We think it is a great partnership opportunity and we now have the opportunity to expand the program. The event will last no more than one hour. The more the merrier as we look to expand apprenticeships at Missouri State in partnership with Missouri schools.
As I side note, if you've not heard an update, we currently have over 300 para educator apprentices participating in the program in over 50 Missouri schools. If you're new to Pathways for Paras you can find out more here. https://education.missouristate.edu/SpEd/pathways-for-paraprofessionals.htm
If you'd like to hear more about this grant, you can find a nice KY3 summary of the project at https://www.ky3.com/2022/08/03/springfield-awarded-175-million-grant-workforce-training-partnerships/ The grant will support Pathways for Paras apprenticeship expansion in schools in 51 counties in southern Missouri and includes all counties in southern Missouri that are east of the line that runs down the western borders of Polk, Greene, Christian, and Stone counties. The participating counties include all the counties in central and eastern Missouri to the Mississippi River. They will show a map of included counties in the KY3 story link above. For those of you west of Springfield, while you're currently not part of this grant---you may be soon and we'll keep in touch if additional counties are added. While currently this funding will only help support Pathways for Paras, it is possible that it could be expanded to additional apprenticeship pathways to other teaching certificate areas.
With thanks for your continued support as we develop partnerships to recruit more high quality teacher candidates in Missouri schools. Hoping you can make it Friday, see the invitation below. Questions, let me know. With Thanks, Jon
