The College of Southern Idaho will roll out a new non-traditional program to certify new teachers in the state with help from a $1.1 million grant.

The Office of Governor Brad Little announced Thursday CSI will host the program that aims to create a pathway to paraprofessionals and career-changers that want to become certified teachers without going through the traditional education process. The Workforce Development Council has awarded CSI with a $1,114,424 grant to support the program.

The program will take into account the person's experience and content knowledge to meet the standards. The program is available to everyone, no mater where they live. Courses will be provided on-line in combination with in-the-classroom support. According to the Governor's Office, the three-year grant is expected to train around 830 teachers.

“The successful education of every child begins with a great teacher, and that is why we are committed to finding ways to train more teachers and incentivize them to stay in the profession by paying them competitively,” Governor Little said in a prepared statement. “The new program at the College of Southern Idaho opens up a path for career-changers and others to enter the teaching profession so they can make a difference in the lives of our students. This is great news for those who are qualified and experienced in a certain field and have been thinking about becoming a teacher."

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