RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - 55 industry professionals are now fully licensed Rutherford County teachers thanks to the school district’s Teach Now program.
Teach Now is an Educator Preparation Provider program, and Rutherford County Schools was the first school district in Tennessee to offer the opportunity.
The program provides job-embedded math, science, and secondary Career and Technical Education teachers with the educational foundations and coursework necessary to make a successful transition into becoming a classroom teacher.
This month, 55 graduated from the program and will earn licensure advancement from practitioner to professional status.
"The Teach Now Program has given me the resources I needed,” Christiana Middle math teacher Lauren Takacs said. “Each class was broken down by a certain topic and had assignments that helped us self-reflect on how we can be a better educator. I also loved that we got to be in a cohort with people that were going through the same process together. We really built a family throughout this last year and half, and I am so grateful for that."
New members in the program begin each July.