Manhattanville University has reached the halfway point of a four-year, state-funded program designed to train and retain future teachers in the Lower Hudson Valley.
The Harrison university received an almost $1 million grant from New York state's Office of Strategic Workforce Development in 2024 to help address teacher shortages by creating pathways for teaching assistants to become certified, full-time teachers.
August 2026 marks two years since the program began.
Program helps teaching assistants become teachers
The program, called the Teaching Assistant to Teacher Pathways program, trains existing teaching assistants employed in the Lower Hudson Valley to become full-time teachers.
Manhattanville partnered with the Rockland Teachers' Center Institute and Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES to
implement the program, which leads to New York state teaching certification and a master's degree from the university.
"The grant has enabled Manhattanville to create innovative pathways that help talented educators advance their careers while addressing critical workforce needs in our region," Brian V. Carolan, dean of the School of Education at Manhattanville University, said in a statement. "We are proud of the progress made during the first half of the project and excited to continue expanding access to the teaching profession."
The program provides accepted teaching assistants with full tuition and fee support through the grant. Participants are trained in subjects with high demand for teachers across New York.
The program uses an induction model designed to mirror real classroom settings, with regional teachers serving as mentors.
Which teaching certifications are offered?
For 2026, Manhattanville is offering certifications in several high-need areas:
- Childhood Education, grades 1-6
- Childhood Education, grades 1-6, and Special Education, all grades
- Special Education, all grades, a new option for the program this fall
How many students are in the program?
Four grant-funded students began the program in fall 2024, with two additional students enrolling during the academic year.
Four students from the original cohort are expected to graduate in August with teaching certifications and master's degrees.
Five additional grant-funded students began the program in 2025. The third cohort, expected to begin in fall 2026, is the largest yet, with between nine and 11 students.
The program also has expanded to include additional school districts and educational institutions across the region and state.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Manhattanville teacher training program reaches halfway point
