ASU, SRTC expand agreement to grow teacher pipeline

ALBANY — As teacher shortages continue to strain classrooms across Georgia, Albany State University and Southern Regional Technical College signed an expanded agreement Monday aimed at building a local pipeline of certified educators.

The agreement builds on a decade-long partnership between the two institutions, which formalized their first transfer pathway in 2015. Initial agreements focused on programs such as social work and criminal justice, allowing students to transfer credits without losing time or money.

In 2016, the partnership expanded to include early childhood care and education, enabling students who earned an Associate of Applied Science degree from SRTC to transfer into ASU’s bachelor’s program in elementary education.

Officials say the latest expansion responds directly to work force needs, particularly the growing demand for qualified teachers. While investments in technology and STEM fields continue to increase, education leaders say persistent challenges — including stagnant salaries and professional burnout — have contributed to ongoing teacher shortages.

“What I often tell people is, all jobs, all work force, starts with K through 12,” Robert Scott, president of Albany State University, said during Monday’s signing ceremony. “If you want to invest in the growth of this nation, invest in K through 12. All growth starts in K through 12.”

At the center of the updated agreement is a new paraprofessional pathway designed for individuals already working in classrooms as teacher aides or assistants. The program allows those employees to continue working while completing requirements to become certified teachers.

“These students are already supporting teachers in the classroom, essentially as teaching assistants,” Dorene Medlin, chair of the School of Education at ASU, said. “They bring with them so much experience that other newly certified teachers don’t yet have.”

The pathway is structured to remove common barriers that often prevent paraprofessionals from advancing, including cost, time constraints and credit transfer issues. Participants can continue earning a wage while progressing toward certification, creating what officials describe as a more accessible route into the profession.

School officials hope “Grow Your Own” initiatives, which focus on hiring locally, could help address staffing shortages in area schools.

“We know that where students teach, they typically stay,” Jim Glass, president of Southern Regional Technical College, said. “This is the biggest reason we wanted to create this opportunity for our local school districts — to be able to develop our own right here at home. For ASU to partner with us, it’s huge.”

The expansion comes as school systems nationwide — particularly in rural and high-poverty areas — struggle to fill teaching positions. According to the Learning Policy Institute, more than 410,000 teaching positions in the United States were either vacant or filled by underqualified staff in 2025, roughly one in eight jobs.

The shortage has been driven by a combination of low pay, high turnover and burnout, with the most severe gaps in special education, math and science.

Local leaders say the new pathway is designed not only to address shortages but to invest in individuals already embedded in school communities.

“What this program does is enable paraprofessionals to continue earning a wage while becoming certified, and it streamlines the process of transferring from a two-year to a four-year college,” Medlin said.

To transition into a certified teaching role, candidates must complete several steps, including holding a paraprofessional license, passing the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators and earning a bachelor’s degree. Officials say one of the most significant advantages of articulation agreements is the ability to minimize redundant coursework. Without such agreements, students transferring between institutions can lose credits, increasing both time and cost.

“The agreement makes it easier for students to move from a two-year to a four-year college without the risk of having to take additional classes,” Medlin said. “That makes it more cost-effective.”

Albany State currently maintains articulation and transfer agreements with seven technical colleges, forming a broader network to support work force development across southwest Georgia.

As the partnership expands, education leaders say the goal is not only to increase access to higher education but also to strengthen the teacher pipeline in a way that reflects local and regional needs.

“We contribute about $282 million a year to the economy … and we have produced almost 3,000 jobs,” Scott said. “A partnership like this benefits not only our university, but our region.”

Research shows teachers are more likely to work in the same state where they were educated, making the updated agreement a targeted investment in the region’s future work force.

“We’re not in competition,” Scott said. “We’re synergistic partners in the role we play in the lives of students. When we partner like this, it allows tremendous growth, and the region gets better.”

University officials said ASU plans to expand similar pathways in the future.

“We’re open for business,” Scott said. “We’re open for business to help students and young people get better jobs.”