North East ISD receives $261,000 grant to fund rigorous principal residency for qualifying educators

A $261,000 grant from the Texas Education Agency is funding four qualifying North East ISD teachers to earn a principal certification through an intense year-long residency that will prepare them for leadership roles at campuses.

This is the second time since 2018 that TEA has awarded the 2022-2023 Principal Residency Grant to North East ISD. The residency runs parallel with the NEISD Accelerated Leadership Program, a 36-credit hour graduate program designed by North East ISD and the University of Texas at San Antonio that leads to a Masters in Educational Leadership. Qualifying students from the Leadership Program are selected to participate in the residency program.

The residency adds another layer of rigor, said Rudy Jimenez, chief of schools and leadership. “The residents are not teaching in the classroom, instead they are immersed in academic and operational functions of managing a school under the mentorship of veteran principals.”

“The residents will receive on-on-one support from their mentor and a UTSA Field Supervisor who was also a successful former principal,” Jimenez said. “At the core of this program is student success.”

While the residents will not have classroom responsibilities, the residents will participate five-days per week with Title 1 mentor principals. This will occur while the residents take two to three courses per semester.

The educators are expected to earn the master’s degree and certifications by the end of Fall 2023, then have pending assignments at the end of the year-long residency for anticipated campus leadership vacancies. The grant covers the cost of the residency, compensation, and fees for any state-mandated exams.