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To combat turnover, SETT builds in time for program candidates to co-teach with another educator.

Kelley Peters, an education faculty member at CNM, thinks that will be key for long-term retention.

“To survive your first year really requires not only the dedication of the teacher but also a tremendous amount of support and guidance, which is currently lacking for those teachers,” Peters said.

Typically a teacher would jump into a classroom right after finishing training.

Candidates accepted into the program are projected to start co-teaching in the fall, and Bernstein emphasized that teachers will start earning a salary at that time.

“They’ll be paid like they are a teacher, but they will actually be in training,” Bernstein said.

Rudys said APS is paying for SETT through operational funds that would be going to salaries for open positions.

The program, which is looking to fill about 25 spots, will pay for tuition and the costs of the state teacher assessment, Rudys said.

Ideal candidates include education assistants or other current APS employees with a bachelor’s degree, she said.

Candidates for the program must have a bachelor’s degree, a 3.0 GPA, pass the New Mexico teacher assessment and agree to work as a special education teacher in APS for three years, among other criteria.

Rudys said the teachers who complete the program will be assigned to schools with the highest need.