UNO’s Teacher Scholars Academy Program Rises to the Teacher Workforce Challenge

The unique approach to addressing teacher shortages in Omaha offers a glimpse into the future of teacher workforce development.

by Sam Peshek

The United States is in the midst of a teacher workforce shortage.

Nebraska isn’t immune, as the Nebraska Department of Education reported there were 482 unfilled education positions last year in districts across the state. Schools in the Omaha area will soon see an influx of highly qualified teachers in their classroom thanks to an innovative approach to teacher development.

The Teacher Scholars Academy launched in 2019 with a select group of highachieving teacher candidates from across the state and Omaha metro area. The mission is to prepare students to teach in diverse settings and strengthen their leadership and collaboration skills through experiential learning experiences, special projects and seminars. Each teacher scholar receives up to 120 credits of in-state tuition per year in addition to partial coverage of room and board, books and fees.

The program received additional funding from Omaha Public Schools in order to support, recruit, retain, upskill, diversify and maintain a roster of high-quality teachers.

“Developing the educators who will mold tomorrow’s leaders is a great responsibility and one that we in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) take very seriously, especially when teacher retention is one of our nation’s top challenges,” CEHHS Dean Nancy Edick said at the time of the announcement. “This grant will put Omaha in a position to lead by example in each of these areas and give our Omaha teachers the skills, experience and support they need to have long, fulfilling careers, all for the benefit of the children in our community.”

The program recently celebrated its first graduate, Teagan Vaughan, an elementary education major from Papillion.

Teagan Vaughan First graduate of UNO’s Teacher Scholars Academy, December 2022

“Going through TSA, you get a deeper understanding of the career field,” she said.

The program is designed to keep all new teacher scholars together as a cohort in learning and development activities through their freshman and half of their sophomore years before moving out into their major plans of study in elementary, secondary and special education.

Teacher Scholars Academy cohort at a fall retreat.

Because of the high level of support from across CEHHS, the teacher scholars have a retention rate that far exceeds the national average.

Behind Vaughan will be a steady flow of Maverick educators into metro area classrooms. For Teacher Scholars Academy Director Gerry Huber, these students have been molded by the challenges of COVID-19 and will be uniquely equipped to take on teaching roles at a historically challenging time.

“These students have gone through a COVID experience and demonstrated tenacity, grit, resilience and grace while pursuing their education goals,” Huber said. “They’re going to use the strategies they’ve learned to enrich their future classrooms.”