Friday, June 03, 2011

MSIs Seek To Defy Budget Trend By Lobbying for New Teacher Education Program

MSIs Seek To Defy Budget Trend By Lobbying for New Teacher Education Program: In the current fiscal climate, getting a new program approved and funded by Congress seems a tall order. But the White House and minority-serving institutions are doing just that in seeking support for a new teacher education program.

Historically Black colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions and tribal colleges could serve as Hawkins Centers of Excellence for teacher education under the plan put forward by the Obama administration. The White House wants $40 million in startup funding for this initiative, which would award competitive grants to minority-serving colleges to enhance their teacher education programs.

The administration outlined the plan in its 2012 budget last winter and cited its importance again recently in a new report on improving education outcomes for Hispanic children.