UW President pitches pay, tuition loans to get more teachers

(The Center Square) – The head of the University of Wisconsin is proposing both cash money and tuition forgiveness as a way to get more young people to become teachers.

UW President Tommy Thompson is proposing, as part of his university budget, a way to encourage more college students to become teachers. And then encourage young teachers to remain on the job.

“My budget proposal aims to recruit more teachers and school leaders,” Thompson said.

UW Board of Regent President Andrew S. Petersen said Wisconsin, like many states across the country, is in need of new teachers.

“Employers across Wisconsin need talent, and our schools are no different – especially in rural areas and in special education, bilingual education, and science, math and technology fields,” Petersen said.

Thompson is proposing one plan to pay UW students who are required to teach as part of their undergrad program. Those students would be paid a $500 stipend for that student teaching assignment. The total cost is budgeted at $1 million a year.

Thompson is also proposing an expansion to Wisconsin’s Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. That program erases as much as $30,000 of student loans for qualifying teachers. Thompson says the expansion would shave another half-million dollars a year off of student loan debt for qualifying teachers as a group.

Disclaimer: This content is distributed by The Center Square