Hale County Schools system signs UWA Teacher Connect agreement

LIVINGSTON – The University of West Alabama will now offer a unique opportunity for teachers in the Hale County Schools system who would like to further their education by pursuing a master’s or education specialist degree. Through the UWA Teacher Connect program designed for Hale County, teachers can receive financial assistance for online studies.

For the system’s teachers, participation in the program, which leads to advanced degrees in education, can qualify for a discount of $200 per credit hour on their tuition. They can choose from UWA’s 38 master’s and education specialist degrees. With accelerated online terms, teachers can easily earn their advanced degrees in two years.

For educators, advanced degrees can lead to salary increases. An added benefit is that teachers can work to increase the amount or retirement income they will receive. The benefits of the UWA Teacher Connect program extend beyond the teachers, though.

Students also see the benefit of their teachers’ participation and completion of degree programs made available through UWA Teacher Connect. Their teachers are exposed to the latest technology and trends in education, thus providing them with an educational experience that better prepares them for college.

In fact, school systems are improved exponentially when faculty hold higher-level degrees. Participation in programs such as this allows the school system to recruit new faculty based on this benefit, and the overall atmosphere of learning and teaching is enhanced. Through UWA Connect, systems like Hale County can increase faculty retention by providing this kind of opportunity not available in other systems.