Teach in NEPA Program Plans To Keep Teachers Local

WBRE-TV 28/WYOU-TV 22 Thursday May 1st

By: Amelia Sack

HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) A new educational partnership program in Luzerne County hopes to fight the teacher shortage here in Pennsylvania.

According to state data there are currently around 5,500 teacher vacancies.*

Those vacancies are why the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, Luzerne County Community College (LCCC), and the Hazleton Area School District are teaming up to create the Teach in NEPA Project.

The Teach in NEPA Project aims to follow the Shapiro administration and the general assembly's goal of addressing the statewide teacher shortage. It starts and ends right here in Hazleton.

"You will not have to leave this community to go to school. You will not have to leave this community to earn your degree, and in most respects you're not gonna have to leave this community to find a job as a teacher," stated John Yudichak, President, LCCC.

Through the program, students can obtain their associate's degree with LCCC and get their bachelors with commonwealth university all at LCCC's Hazleton campus.

"All four years are here in this building. The services will be brought to them. The teachers and the professors will be brought to the," explained Dr. Bashar W. Hanna, Commonwealth University President.

While students are completing their degrees, they will train at Hazleton area, and when they graduate, they will have employment opportunities within the district.

Hazleton Area Superintendent Brian Uplinger says this is crucial as the number of students within the district continues to grow and the number of teachers declines.

"We have 80 emergency-certified folk in the district, and we have a number of teachers that are going to retire this year," said Superintendent Uplinger.

Through a grow your own model, the Teach in NEPA Project aims to recruit and retain local students to ease the shortage and create a new generation of teachers here at home.

"The Teach in NEPA Project really is about go here, graduate here, and teach here. So this historic partnership really makes a pathway to the most affordable, accessible four year degree anywhere in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and I would say anywhere in the country," added Yudichak.

Students can begin the program in the fall, and it will allow them to obtain their degrees for under $30,000.