In the Armstrong Atlantic State University branch of the Pathways to Teaching Careers Program, the teacher retention rate-predominantly in challenging urban assignments in Savannah, Georgia-was 100 percent for the four years ending June 1999. The program is designed to increase the number of highly qualified teachers-particularly minorities-in our nation's rural and urban public schools. Noncertified teachers and paraprofessionals are awarded scholarships and other support services to earn professional certification. In return, they must commit to teaching for three years in Chatham County's urban public schools. The program has strong collaborative representation involving Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah State University, and the Savannah/Chatham County public school system.

Sources: National Education Association, Foundation for the Improvement of Education. (1999.) Creating
a teacher mentoring program. National Education Association, Foundation for the
Improvement of Education.

DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Pathways to Teaching Careers Program. Available online at
http://www.education.armstrong.edu/pathways/ProgramDescription.htm.