Jacksonville is one of three Florida cities receiving new federal AmeriCorps grants for teacher training.
AmeriCorps announced Wednesday eight Florida education programs will get funding from $5.7 million in competitive grants.
Wendy Spencer is CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the agency that administers AmeriCorps Money. She says two of the eight programs are in Jacksonville.
“With your leaders in Jacksonville I’m real impressed with the AmeriCorps programs in Jacksonville,” Spencer said.
The University of North Florida’s Jacksonville Teacher Residency program is one recipient. It’s been around for about a year. The program puts people with math or science degrees into high-need Duval schools, where they learn to teach kids.
Chris White is a Residency Program director. She says her goal has been to diversify the program’s funding stream.
“We’re really proud that going into our second year we’ve already found a very solid source of funding,” White said.
She says the money will be used to pay the volunteers’ stipends and health insurance.
City Year is the other Jacksonville organization receiving grant money, about $1 million, for its 100 members. City Year is a mentoring program in 10 high-need Jacksonville schools.
