Columbia College program awarded $24,000 grant

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A Columbia College program working to recruit, train and retain teachers for S.C. school districts in need has been awarded a $24,000 grant to expand its services.

The Alternative Pathways for Educator Certification Center at Columbia College, led by Marla Sanders and Tracy West, received the grant from Columbia-based supplemental insurance company Colonial Life to focus on Title One schools in Richland School District 2 along with partnerships with City Year, an education nonprofit working with public schools “in high-need communities to ensure student and school success,” according to a news release from the college.

“We are pleased to partner with Columbia College and in support of APEC and are grateful to their leadership team for developing this creative approach to increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in critical needs school districts in South Carolina,” Marie McGehee, director of corporate social responsibility at Colonial Life said in the release. “Education is the primary focus of our outreach efforts, and we are committed to supporting organizations that grow strong individuals and school leaders, more successful communities and a prepared future workforce.”

The APEC program, which combines evidence-based curriculum with a teacher residency model, was established in 2018 with 16 students. The program offers online and evening courses along with classroom work alongside teacher mentors, according to the APEC website.

“Colonial Life is a strong supporter of K-12 education in the Midlands, and with their support, we are so excited to give an additional cohort of instructional assistants the opportunity to pursue certification through the APEC Center, leading to more quality, certified teachers for South Carolina’s schools,” Marla Sanders, associate professor of education at Columbia College, said in the release.