Work begins on initiative to develop Latino teachers for Sterling Public Schools

STERLING – Sterling Public Schools is working on a Grow Your Own Program to increase the number of Latino teachers among its faculty, Superintendent Tad Everett informed the board’s community relations committee Monday.

In attendance was Gonzalo Reyes, an educator and former board member who proposed the idea during the public comment portion of the Nov. 16 regular meeting.

[ Former member of Sterling Public Schools board of education says district needs more Latino teachers. ]

“We need to provide role models for Latino and African American kids,” Reyes said at that meeting, and he suggested the district have a “grow your own” approach to providing tuition assistance to minority students who want a career in education.

Illinois Report Card data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education shows that by ethnicity, the district’s teaching staff does not reflect the student body.

Sterling’s teaching staff is 7% Hispanic, while 1.5% has more than one ethnicity and there are no Black teachers.

The student population is 35.1% Hispanic, while 6.4% have more than one ethnicity and 2.1% are Black.

According to committee minutes, Everett said the district has started exploring two avenues to meet that goal.

The first will be a dual-credit course for early childhood education taught by Heather Johnson at Sauk Valley Community College. High school juniors with an interest in becoming teachers can take the course.

Everett said he will conduct a seminar for seniors during the spring semester with the aim of creating a database of students who might be interested in taking courses from either Augustana College or Western Illinois University that will be offered at SVCC, based on new partnerships between the colleges.

In discussion, Reyes said it is worth exploring whether college students might qualify for student loan forgiveness if they agree to work for a specified term at a school that serves a community classified as being of disadvantaged socioeconomic status.

The second approach detailed by Everett involves providing online education courses so noncertified staff members such as paraprofessionals could complete a bachelor’s degree while still working for the district.

Everett said providing two years at an online university would cost $27,000 per participant.

He said there are hurdles: There would be an application process, and the district would need approval from the union representing education support professionals.

Reyes asked whether the district could hold the candidate-applicant to a contract if the district paid its fees. Everett said there are legal prohibitions on such arrangements should the person leave the employ of the district.

The substance of the community relations committee’s agenda is scheduled to be shared with the full board when it convenes in open session at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the high school library.