Temple University’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) has partnered with the School District of Philadelphia to help career and technical education (CTE) teachers earn certification through city-funded tuition assistance.
“This agreement lets us develop programming that is flexible, accelerated, and affordable,” said Monika Williams Shealey, dean of CEHD. “It allows us to move more quickly in implementing what we were already working on.”
CEHD has shortened course timelines at Temple’s Center for Professional Development in Career and Technical Education, helping teachers complete certification faster. CTE programs often attract career changers from fields such as culinary arts, construction, and technology. To support them, Temple offers coaching and mentoring during their first year.
“Many of these folks haven’t been in school for a long time,” Shealey said. “Our field resource associates help them navigate college and the transition into teaching so they can show up ready for their students.”
The initiative addresses a broader teacher shortage, particularly in special education, STEM, and CTE fields. Shealey noted that urban districts face additional challenges such as underresourced schools, leadership turnover, and poverty-related issues that make teacher retention difficult.
“Teachers stay where schools are well-resourced, leadership is stable, and they feel valued,” she said. “And, of course, teachers need to be paid what they are worth.”
Currently, 30 students are enrolled in Temple’s CTE program pursuing Level I certification. Tuition aid is also helping teachers like Shenelle Lockhart, a computer systems technology teacher at Kensington High School, who is working toward her permanent Level II license.
“Financing is the biggest obstacle we face,” Lockhart said. “This assistance has allowed me to double my course load and earn certification faster.”
Full story here: https://news.temple.edu/news/2025-10-08/temple-forms-agreement-school-district-philadelphia-help-career-and-technical
