The program will provide opportunities for individuals with non-education degrees to become certified teachers, explained Head. In any educational reform effort, the emphasis has to start with making sure that we have competent, certified, and caring teachers in every classroom. That should be the birthright of every child in America. She said Vitter has visited area schools, superintendents and Southeastern and recognized the problem of too few certified teachers in classrooms, a situation that will only worsen in the next decade as two-thirds of teachers will be eligible for retirement. About 15,000 teachers in Louisiana are currently eligible for retirement, and the number grows annually.
Shortages are especially critical in the areas of math, science and special education.
University of Louisiana System President Bobby Jindal expressed his appreciation for Vitter's leadership on the funding for Southeastern. This is a good example of our System initiative to create a 'seamless education experience' between the K-12 system and higher education. Donna Contois of St. Tammany Parish, a member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, said the allocation is an example of how partnerships between state and federal government can work to maximum benefit. It's encouraging to see this kind of cooperation and partnership that can only improve the quality of our educational system. With more than 1,300 students in its College of Education and Human Development, Southeastern has the largest teacher preparation program in Louisiana, graduating more than 300 new teachers each year.