A partnership created between Iowa State University, Simpson College and the Des Moines Area Community College is aimed at getting more minorities to become teachers. Georgia Hale of theI-S-U College of Education says they’re trying to meet the needs of two groups.Hale says it’ll hopefully help alleviate the shortage of minority teachers in the state, and help those who have wanted to become teachers achieve that goal. She says people sometimes get involved in other jobs and don’t get back to college to become teachers. Hale says they’ll ask schools to help find potential teachers. She says schools should want to help, because they’ll benefit by having a new pool of teachers. Hale says the program will help the potential teachers sign up for financial aid and will also provide a counselor to help them through.She says some may have never gone to school, while others may’ve gone and dropped out, so the counselor will be there to talk them through the process. Hale says the students in the program will take the same courses as other teachers, but at a little faster rate. Hale says they’re starting the program in central Iowa and hope to expand it across the state. For more information, contact Hale at 515-294-1410.
