Florida is looking for some new teachers.

A 300-thousand-dollar state grant will be used to help Florida overcome a teacher shortage by recruiting and training college graduates with non-education degrees.

The goal of the so-called "Yes Teach!" program is to put 200 such teachers in Florida classrooms by September 1st.

The DeLand-based Florida Independent College Fund is associated with the 27-member Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida.

Eligible applicants will get scholarships for a classroom tutorial on the Internet.

The fund is collaborating on the web-based program with the Florida Space Research Institute at Cape Canaveral and Steel Beach Productions. That's a Jacksonville company that designs computer-based training programs.

The new program will be only a small part of the effort. State education officials say Florida needs 20-thousand more teachers before August, in part because of a class-size reduction amendment passed by voters last year.

Other elements include a growing number of students and teacher retirements and resignations, often for jobs in other occupations or states with higher pay.

• Want More on a Past Story? Click Here
• Back to Current News