NEWS RELEASE
Media Contact: Mrs. Brianda A. Reynoso FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
P: (928) 627-6551 September 29, 2023
Gadsden Elementary School District #32 set to receive a grant that will help grow and retain educators in Arizona
SAN LUIS, AZ– The Gadsden Elementary School District #32 is proud to announce that with the partnership of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) Gadsden ESD #32, alongside two other Arizona school districts, have been awarded a three-year $16 million grant (all funds distributed amongst selected districts) from the federal Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive Program to help grow and retain teachers and other school leaders serving in high-need student populations in Arizona. The grant funds districts to strengthen systems of support for classroom teaching, build instructional leadership capacity for school leaders, and raise student achievement.
The project, entitled AZ PRIME (Arizona Prioritizing Recruitment/Retention and Induction to Maximize Equity) will focus on aligning, expanding, and improving systems for educator effectiveness including career advancement opportunities for teachers to serve in leadership roles in high-need schools. This grant will take the work to the next level by creating a new teacher induction model and supporting the implementation of strategies to strengthen the school and classroom environment that are integrated with daily teaching and learning practices. AZ PRIME will begin with twenty-three schools serving 13,364 students, 735 teachers, and 34 school leaders in the three named districts (Gadsden ESD #32, Osborn School District #8, and Avondale Elementary School District #44), and will expand to include additional districts in year two.
“In the last few years, we have been emphasizing the importance of a strong school culture that supports every student to set ambitious learning goals and meet those goals,” said Superintendent Lizette Esparza of Gadsden Elementary School District. “Partnering with NIET will help us advance this work.”
The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching is a national nonprofit based in Phoenix, Arizona that serves states and districts nationwide. For more than two decades, NIET has partnered with schools, districts, states, and universities to build educator excellence and give all students the opportunity for success.
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