Mercer Times

The College of New Jersey's School of Education has introduced a program aimed at converting paraprofessionals into certified teachers to address the state's teacher shortage. The initiative, known as the Paraprofessional to Teacher program, is supported by New Jersey's Some College, No Degree initiative and offers online or hybrid learning options with reduced tuition fees.

Linda Mayger, program coordinator and associate professor of educational leadership, explained the necessity of the program. "Many school districts in the state are experiencing teacher shortages with particular needs in the area of special education," she stated. "For this reason, we offer the program at a reduced tuition rate. As a public institution in New Jersey, we believe that this is a critical way that we can serve the public and help some of our state’s most vulnerable children."

Paraprofessionals work in classrooms assisting students with disabilities and typically hold an associate degree or have some college experience. TCNJ's program enables them to transfer existing credits and complete their education within two years.

Mayger highlighted the flexibility of the curriculum: "We’ve transformed our regular elementary education curriculum to an online modality with evening courses. The convenience of this format allows the paras to continue working while they finish their degrees."

This fall marked the launch of the program with 13 participants in its first cohort. A state grant provides a stipend for expenses such as laptops associated with returning to school.

Efforts are underway to secure additional state funding and attract more paraprofessionals to join future cohorts.