FIU/CASE-Andrea Castillo-Ronald Reagan Senior High Teaching Academy: A Potential for Long Term and Positive Impact in our Community

An increasing teacher shortage is creating a need for teachers across our communities. School districts and other institutions, such as universities, are engaging in joint efforts to recruit and retain highly qualified teacher professionals. In this combined effort, one way the vision of attracting teachers to the field is being characterized by an interest in teaching academies. These academies promise to provide students with an educational opportunity that facilitates their ability to reach their professional goals in teaching while making them employable. This symposium will present a new initiative at a local senior high school by introducing the Teaching Academy model and the story behind the making of this initiative. This local academy intends to create lifelong learners and improve the access to educational resources available to our community. This symposium will show the initiative’s challenges, successes, and potential for future development.