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The Arizona Board of Regents approved a spending plan for fiscal year 2020 that includes $15 million to expand the Arizona Teachers Academy and increased scholarship funding for Maricopa County Community College students.

The (ABOR), which oversees the state鈥檚 public university system, is working to transform the educational experience for future teachers by providing incentives for talented graduates to work in the classroom, according to a press release from MCCCD.

The new budget also among established programs at the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD), Pima Community College and the state universities.

鈥淥n behalf of the Maricopa Community Colleges, I thank the Arizona Board of Regents for distributing funds equitably,鈥� said Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick, MCCCD chancellor. 鈥淭he budget will provide our community with tremendous social and economic benefits, strengthening our economy and future workforce.鈥�

post-baccalaureate teacher certification programs at Scottsdale Community College and Rio Salado College, each with a strong emphasis on clinical practice with individual support from professors and mentor teachers, according to the press release.

Since its inception in 2017, the Arizona Teachers Academy (ATA) has seen more than double, 鈥渁ffirming the interest of students and demand from public schools that are embracing the program by providing employment opportunities during the student-teaching experience and upon graduation,鈥� according to the MCCCD.

The approved distribution of funds by ABOR will provide tuition waiver scholarships for MCCCD students and prohibits participating institutions from charging students the difference between the cost of tuition and fees and the amount of gift aid received.

The FY2020 budget includes $3,000 in tuition waiver scholarships per post-baccalaureate student each year, totaling about $909,465 in funding. The appropriation also includes $2,500 for each continuing teacher seeking National Board Certification.

鈥淚n a very short time, the ATA has become an innovative, first-rate teachers鈥� college,鈥� MCCCD said in the press release. 鈥淭he graduates of the Academy are a remarkable reflection of the communities they serve. The ATA attracts traditional students looking to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree as well as adults pursuing new career opportunities with a post-baccalaureate teaching certification.鈥�

Students who have already earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree may need as little as 12 to 24 months to receive certification, and in some cases they can teach in public or charter schools simultaneously.

鈥淚t is a reflection of the ATA鈥檚 success that Gov. Ducey鈥檚 2020 budget expanded permanent funding for the Academy,鈥� MCCCD said. 鈥淭his is just the beginning. As the Academy grows, so does its roadmap for other states looking to address teacher shortages.鈥�