Texas Tech University

West Texas Rural Education Partnership Summit

WTREP Banner

The shortage of qualified teachers across West Texas represents a significant failure to provide for the economic future of rural communities. The West Texas Rural Education Partnership will prepare over 200 new teachers annually for rural schools in our region by creating inter-organizational systems consisting of 3 universities, 9 community colleges and 45 rural districts all focused on addressing teacher-talent needs of rural schools. Join us today!

A group photo of 2021 winter summit attendees outside the TTU dairy barn

Partner Institutions

  • Amarillo College
  • El Paso Community College
  • Howard College
  • Midland College
  • Odessa College
  • South Plains College
  • Western Texas College
  • Texas Tech University
  • University of Texas Permian Basin
  • University of Texas at El Paso
  • West Texas A&M University

WTREP Map

Goals

  • Align district, community college, and university organizations into a single system. Increase local talent seeking teacher certification.
  • Implement high-quality support for rural teacher candidates. Coach and train district-based site coordinators. Improve quality of candidate support in remote, rural districts. Increase retention of high-quality teachers in rural districts.
  • Represent “rural” in the curriculum. Include coursework about teaching in rural schools. Increase efficacy and value for teaching in rural schools.

How Can A District Partner With Texas Tech?

  • Sign a Memorandum of Understanding with TTU, outlining expectations for the district and program.
  • Plan candidate recruiting strategies and timetables to align with program start dates in July and/or August.
  • Arrange Site Coordinator position (District, Itinerate, or EPP). Site Coordinator must have a Master's Degree and serve as TTU adjunct faculty for the program.
  • Train Site Coordinators from May-June.  District administrators and Site Coordinator implement the program with TTU.

For more information, contact: Shawn Mason, shamason@ttu.edu

Group Photo at the Dairy Barn

Addressing Rural Schools' Need for Teacher Talent

Program Resources

Learn More About TechTeach Across Rural Texas

News

This event is made possible in large part
due to a generous grant from
The Prentice Farrar Brown & Alline Ford Brown Foundation