🌱 Growing Our Own Educators: Rooted in Tarrant County

Tarrant County is facing a challenge that affects every school and, ultimately, every student: our region needs more teachers.

Our local colleges and universities are preparing talented students to become educators, yet many leave Tarrant County after graduation to begin their careers elsewhere. At the same time, our school districts are working to fill classrooms and retain the great teachers already serving our students. These challenges are connected, and addressing them will require all of us to work together.

That’s why I’m excited about our recent launch of Rooted: A Community of Practice, a new partnership between Rev Partnership, Fort Worth Education Partnership and US PREP. Earlier this month, we brought together seven higher education institutions and 10 Tarrant County school districts at Tarleton State Fort Worth to begin to tackle the problem collectively and collaborate around one shared goal: building a stronger, more sustainable teacher pipeline for Tarrant County.

By strengthening relationships between teacher preparation programs and local school districts, we can help students see a clear pathway from earning their education degree to becoming a teacher in their own community and help provide opportunities for professional growth and a competitive income.

This work is also the foundation for Teach Tarrant County: From Local Students to Lifelong Educators, a new Rev initiative focused on creating those pathways for future teachers. Our goal is to make it easier for local students to enter the teaching profession by connecting them directly with local districts who have a need for talent. 

But this isn't about filling vacancies. It’s about investing in the talented people already connected to our community and creating a teacher workforce that can grow with Tarrant County. That is the future we’re working toward through Rooted and Teach Tarrant County.

At Rev, we believe great teachers make the greatest difference in student success. By bringing the right partners to the table and creating stronger pathways into the profession, we can help ensure that Tarrant County has the great teachers our students need — today and for generations to come.

Dr. Karen Molinar

CEO, Rev Partnership