TWU, Mesquite ISD team up to address teacher shortage

July 11, 2025 — DENTON — Texas Woman’s University continues to create innovative ways to address the drastic Texas teacher shortage. The latest is Teach Mesquite, a partnership with the Mesquite Independent School District funded by Educate Texas at Communities Foundation of Texas.
 
After the successful work of the TWU School of Education (SOE) in Houston ISD, which helps advance paraprofessionals to certified teachers, Texas Woman’s is creating an early start option and seamless transition for Mesquite ISD’s students to go to a four-year institution for a bachelor’s degree and teacher certification from high school or after they complete an associate’s degree in teaching at Dallas College.
 
“The School of Education looks forward to supporting Mesquite ISD as they create sustainable teacher pathways for their community,” said SOE Director Juan Araujo, PhD. “We anticipate that Teach Mesquite will be mutually beneficial for both us and their teaching workforce.”
 
Mesquite ISD and the TWU School of Education were each awarded $40,000 in grants to provide quality dual-credit courses that start a pathway to teaching for Mesquite ISD students.
 
Texas Woman’s, specifically, will fund application and tuition scholarships for students enrolling in dual-credit courses. Mesquite ISD will also support student fees as well as host TWU events and provide transportation.
 
“Educate Texas is proud to support strategic partnerships that strengthen the educator pipeline across Texas. The Teach Mesquite initiative represents a promising model for growing and diversifying the future teacher workforce,” said Communities Foundation of Texas Deputy Director Joseph Reyes. “With support from the Moody Foundation and Communities Foundation of Texas, we are advancing solutions that expand access to high-quality educator pathways to help ensure students are supported by effective, well-prepared teachers.”
 
Future goals include hosting the cohort with in-person classes at the TWU Dallas campus. The school district has already identified 245 aspiring educators across five high schools in the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) program.

Page last updated 11:46 AM, July 11, 2025