ODESSA, Texas — Ector County ISD has made history, according to a press release from the district.
They have announced that they are now the first in Texas to have a Registered Apprenticeship Program for K-12 Principals.
This apprenticeship program is a career pathway where principals candidates are in a full-time, paid position while they gain job experience.
Approved and validated by the US Department of Labor, this program will provide mentoring, on-the-job training, principal license and professional learning to ensure aspiring leaders have the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective.
The Principal Incentive Allotment, or PIA, provides additional money for the most effective principals. The PIA is a recently announced Teacher and School Leader federal grant.
Principal Fellowships with Texas Tech and UT Permian Basin are some of the programs already in place to develop leaders for ECISD schools.
The program gives ECISD access to funding, meaning there is no charge for the principals in the program.
In September, ECISD announced the approval of a Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teachers with a partnership with Odessa College and UTPB.