So in 1991 we went into the schools as a voluntary pilot program to bridge that gap. Since its inception, the program has graduated about 1,800 elementary education teachers. The whole program operates in selected schools, with professors going out to the students for instruction and to monitor the program.
Students can apply what they are learning on an on-going basis.
The program is a collaborative effort, working closely with the school and the community. The students are assigned to a cluster of schools and cycle through the schools every three to five years. Currently the college is working with eight school districts in the Houston area on this program. It brings a breath of life to the schools. Currently there is a waiting list of schools that have expressed a desire for intervention and university collaboration, and Cohen said there was also a need to begin working with first-year teachers to limit attrition.