HDCOE to partner with HCS In Creation of the L.E.E. Program

Lee University's Helen DeVos College of Education has partnered with Hamilton County Schools (HCS), The Maclellan Foundation, and The Tucker Foundation for the next three years to create the Licensing Excellent Educators (L.E.E.) Program for Hamilton County Schools. This post-baccalaureate pathway program seeks to train and equip individuals from a diverse range of career backgrounds who are looking to teach, preparing them specifically for high-need endorsements within Hamilton County. Scholarships provided by the Maclellan and Tucker foundations will help support participants in this program, ensuring that cost is not a barrier for aspiring educators.

The program will welcome 20 L.E.E. Fellows per year, with the Helen DeVos College of Education providing coursework, university supervision, and submission of licensure. HCS will place candidates in schools for four years that maximize support and meet district needs. L.E.E. Fellows will leave the program having earned a Master of Arts in Teaching through Lee University, along with a state licensure. The three-year partnership agreement aims to train and support 60 L.E.E. Fellows in high-need endorsement areas for schools within Hamilton County Schools.

"This initiative reflects our commitment to addressing the critical need for highly skilled teachers in public schools," said Dr. Bill Estes, dean of Lee's Helen DeVos College of Education. "In the past decade we have developed a strong relationship with Hamilton County Schools and become a key asset in their teacher pipeline. Partnering with these leading foundations to fill a need and serve the Chattanooga community is a task we are excited to begin and are fully committed to supporting."

"The launch of the L.E.E. Fellows program is another step forward in helping us create opportunities for aspiring educators right here in our community," said Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson. "By partnering with Lee University and leveraging the generosity of the Maclellan and Tucker foundations, we're removing financial barriers and opening doors for individuals who are passionate about making a difference in students' lives. We look forward to welcoming and supporting these educators."

Through scholarships funded by local philanthropic organizations The Maclellan Foundation and The Tucker Foundation, along with in-kind and direct support from Lee and HCS, L.E.E. Fellows will complete the 14-month education program at no cost to the Fellows. Additionally, as job-embedded candidates, they will be earning a full-time teaching salary with benefits, as teachers of record employed by HCS. The goal of this development is to create an expanded, sustained partnership that allows HCS to recruit strong potential candidates from the area to the public-school classroom.

The L.E.E. Program serves as an expansion of Lee University's Grow Your Own program, which is a current partnership between the university and HCS geared toward special education.

For more information about Hamilton County Schools, visit hcde.org. If you're interested in learning more or applying for the program, please visit hcde.org/staff/human_resources/grow_your_own to complete the Interest Form.

For further information about the Licensing Excellent Educators Program, contact Rachael Pitts at [email protected], and for more information about the Lee University Helen DeVos College of Education, visit leeuniversity.edu/academics/education/.