“If you look at the public discourse about teaching, this is what the state wants and what a lot of our critics want us to do — break down barriers to teaching,” said Kevin Kelly, dean of the UD School of Education and Allied Professions.
Arthur Levine, president of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, said the Ohio Teaching Fellowship will begin with 65 fellows at John Carroll University, Ohio State University, the University of Akron and the University of Cincinnati later this year.
Each fellow will receive a $30,000 stipend through the Woodrow Wilson foundation.
UD, Ohio University and the University of Toledo will join the other four and begin offering the program sometime in 2012. UD expects its first students to start next summer and be in area classrooms by 2013.
The fellows will include recent graduates, working scientists and long-time professionals looking for a career change. The program also exists in Michigan and Indiana.
Last month, Gov. John Kasich signed legislation that will allow recent graduates to teach in low-income schools by 2012 as part of the national Teach for America program.
TFA has been controversial because “corps members” receive only five weeks of training before heading to the classroom, where they get continued mentor support.
Woodrow Wilson fellows will receive a year of university-led classroom training before teaching on their own.
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