WGU Texas Announces Scholarships for National Teacher Appreciation Week 2023

Financial Aid Opportunities Available for Current and Aspiring Educators

AUSTIN, TX (Apr 24, 2023) – WGU Texas will celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week May 8-12 by offering two scholarship programs for current and future education professionals who wish to pursue bachelor’s or master’s degree programs in the Teachers College at WGU’s School of Education, the largest nonprofit, accredited school of education in the country.

“Now more than ever, our nation’s schools need dedicated educators who will make an amazing impact on their students and in their communities,” said Dr. Stacey Ludwig Johnson, WGU Senior Vice President and Executive Dean of the School of Education. “We’re thrilled to offer these special scholarships to help education professionals grow in their fields, and to pursue their academic and professional dreams.”

Each WGU Loves Teachers Scholarship is valued up to $4,000 and designed to help current teachers improve their skill set in the classroom, move into administration, or to assist aspiring teachers in obtaining the required credentials for a rewarding future career as an educator. Each scholarship will be credited to the student’s account at the rate of $1,000 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms. Scholarships will be awarded based on a candidate’s academic record, financial need, readiness for online study at WGU, current competency, and other considerations.

In addition to the WGU Loves Teachers Scholarship, from now through June 30, 2023 the university is offering a new Education Support Professionals Scholarship that may be applied toward any of WGU’s Teachers College degree programs leading to teacher licensure. This scholarship, worth up to $5,000, is a unique opportunity for paraprofessionals currently working in K-12 schools to receive funds toward tuition, plus a stipend for student teaching. This scholarship will be credited to the student’s account at the rate of $625 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms, with an additional $2,500 stipend for the student teaching term.

“Teachers change lives every day, and WGU recognizes the impact that great educators have on students, their schools, and their communities,” said Linda Battles, Regional Vice President, South and WGU Texas Chancellor. “In Texas, most of the new hires in 2021 were to replace those who left the profession, and we need to fill around 20,000 more positions to meet the demand. By expanding high-quality pathways for paraprofessionals to become certified teachers and assisting current teachers to advance in their careers, we can help fill the pipeline with qualified candidates and improve student outcomes.”

Since its launch in 2003, WGU’s Teachers College has graduated more than 81,000 educators in every state in America and currently enrolls more than 38,000 students. By providing competency-based, flexible, online degree programs, and low, flat-rate tuition, WGU students progress through their courses as soon as they demonstrate mastery. This enables them to learn while working and graduate with less debt than their peers.

New and enrolling WGU students may apply for the WGU Loves Teachers Scholarship at wgu.edu/teacherappreciation, and the Education Support Professionals Scholarship at wgu.edu/parascholarship, by June 30. To learn more about WGU’s Teachers College and its academic programs, visit wgu.edu/online-teaching-degrees.

About WGU Texas

WGU Texas is an online, nonprofit, accredited, competency-based university established to expand Texans’ access to higher education throughout the state. Formed through a partnership between the state of Texas and nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Texas is open to all qualified Texas residents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand career fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. Since the university’s launch in 2011, over 27,000 graduates have earned their undergraduate or graduate degrees through a variety of academic offerings. To learn more, visit texas.wgu.edu.

About The WGU School of Education

The WGU School of Education, the largest nonprofit, accredited school of education in the country, is a champion of next-generation teaching, learning, and leading. The school is comprised of the Teachers College and the College of General Education, providing a proven, student-centered, competency-based model. The Teachers College currently offers 30 graduate and undergraduate programs, including several programs for initial licensure preparation, and currently enrolls about 38,000 active degree-seeking students. The College of General Education’s innovative portfolio of learning experiences prepares students to succeed in any degree program, as well as any choice of career, by building the knowledge and skills employers seek. The College of General Education serves students starting their degrees in the WGU Teachers College as well as the College of Business, the College of Information Technology, and the Leavitt School of Health.