North East ISD launches a principal prep program with a $104,000 state grant

The North East Independent School District will create a unique program to prepare teachers for leadership positions at Title 1 schools, courtesy of a $104,000 from the Texas Education Agency.

The grant will fund the creation of the NEISD Principal Preparation Program, which seeks to increase the number of candidates qualified to assume assistant principal or principal positions at campuses with a high percentage of low-income students, said Dr. Sean Maika, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Campus Administration.

“Our goal is to create a principal pipeline that produces educators qualified to serve as campus leaders at Title 1 schools,” said Maika. “We are seeking candidates who reflect the district’s student enrollment and are ready for the next step in their career paths.”

The District will partner with the University of Texas at San Antonio to provide teachers with the opportunity to complete a master’s degree while remaining a classroom teacher. Once accepted into the program, the teachers will become residents at a Title 1 campuses and guided by a mentor principal. The program is designed to give residents teaching experience at a Title 1 school for at least two years and complete a master’s program at UTSA while working to attain the state-required principal’s credentials.

“The residents must commit to remain at the campus for the 2019-2020 school year,” Maika said. “The participating school gains a high quality teacher, and the resident gains a master’s degree along with valuable mentorship.”

Teachers enrolled in the UTSA-NEISD Accelerated Leadership Program For Schools can apply to the grant-funded program. Of the 25 teachers enrolled in the Accelerated Leadership Program, eight will be accepted into the NEISD Principal Preparation Program that will run parallel to the accelerated leadership program.

North East educators interested in seeking grants can access the grants mini base created by the district’s Government Relations and Grant Development Department. District educators must be signed into the district’s intranet system to access: https://www.neisd.net/Page/471. Watch the video on the “Grant Training and Writing” page before starting the grant writing process.