The TNTP Program is one of the first in the State of New Jersey in which student teachers will be compensated with a stipend of up to $10,000/semester to participate in the district’s student teaching program. In addition, student teachers who are selected to participate in this program also receive ongoing evening professional development sessions provided by WW-P throughout their student teaching semester. Upon the successful completion of the TNTP Program, student teachers will be required to apply for open district teaching positions. Program participants will also have prioritized application review for contracted teaching positions in the WW-P school district.

Currently, the State of New Jersey is facing a teacher shortage. Although the difficulty in filling teaching vacancies began about a decade ago, the pandemic hastened many individuals’ exodus from the teaching profession. Also hitting the profession hard is fewer individuals entering teachers preparation programs as still more current teachers retire or leave the profession.

Dr. David Aderhold, Superintendent of WW-P, co-chaired the New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA) Staff Recruitment and Retention Task Force. In 2022, the Governor’s Task Force for Public School Staffing Shortages in New Jersey was formed and Dr. Aderhold was appointed as one of the 23 task force members. The group was charged with recommending potential steps and initiatives that the state could take to lessen the staffing shortages facing schools across New Jersey. One of those potential steps that the state legislature and governor acted on was the elimination of EdTPA, the teaching praxis test, as a requirement for teacher certification in New Jersey. 

“Although the elimination of edTPA was a great move forward in attacking the teaching shortage, the problem is much larger than simply eliminating a test,” stated David Aderhold. “WW-P administration, led by Charity Comella, Assistant Superintendent for Personnel, began looking at the staffing shortage much earlier in the human resources pipeline and saw an opportunity in the student teacher step of our recruitment process.” 

“For anyone who has done it, the student teaching semester can oftentimes be a heavy financial burden to carry,” stated Charity Comella, WW-P Assistant Superintendent for Personnel. “WW-P is hoping the TNTP stipend will help student teachers to defray the costs of living expenses, tuition bills, transportation, etc. during this time. It is our hope that by assisting our student teachers with these costs, we open the door to the education profession to new teachers who may have seen a semester of student teaching as something to which they were financially unable to commit.” 

The TNTP program will begin at the start of the fall semester for the 2024-2025 school year. Not all WW-P students teachers will receive the stipend. Only student teachers who are accepted into TNTP, complete all requirements for participation, and complete an application to district vacancies will be eligible. Payments will be made by WW-P to the program participants in two payments during their student teaching (Clinical II) semester. TNTP student teacher participants may also be eligible for an additional $3,000 stipend related to the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA). WW-P student teachers are not considered WW-P employees and will not accrue time towards tenure, or be enrolled in the Teachers’ Pension & Annuity Fund during their student teaching semester.

The New Teacher Program at WW-P is now accepting applications from qualified student teacher candidates. Interested applicants can find additional information and application materials by visiting the District’s website at www.ww-p.org.