(Photo by Angela Foster, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee System has awarded six $50,000 grants, totaling $300,000, to help universities across Tennessee expand teacher preparation programs through the TeachBridge Implementation Project. The funding is supported by a grant from Ascendium Education Group and administered by the UT System.
The project helps universities adopt TeachBridge Pathways, a teacher preparation curriculum designed to help working adults earn teaching licensure while continuing to live and work in their communities, particularly in rural areas.
The curriculum uses a competency-based model that allows aspiring teachers to complete job-embedded training while demonstrating the skills and knowledge required for the classroom.
TeachBridge Pathways includes 16 flexible modules aligned with national InTASC teaching standards, a framework used by many teacher preparation programs to define the core skills effective teachers should demonstrate. Universities can use one, several or all of the modules depending on their program needs, and they can be incorporated into both undergraduate and post-baccalaureate licensure pathways.
The universities that received funding in January 2026 will integrate TeachBridge’s online open educational resources into their licensure programs between January and October 2026. Institutions also will have access to the TeachBridge resource library and technical assistance to support implementation.
“Preparing the next generation of teachers requires collaboration between universities,” said Erin Crisp, assistant vice president for learner success and workforce pathways for the UT System. “This initiative equips institutions with new tools, expands opportunities for individuals entering the profession and strengthens efforts in Tennessee and across the nation to grow the teacher pipeline.”
“I cannot say enough about my enthusiasm for this work,” said Lori Allen, a faculty fellow at Austin Peay State University who helped develop the TeachBridge curriculum. “This approach is flexible, sustainable and grounded in meaningful measures of student learning.”
All Tennessee institutions that submitted proposals were awarded funding through the initiative. While collaborators from outside the state play an important role in advancing the work, the investment is designed to strengthen teacher preparation efforts and impact across Tennessee.
The following universities each received $50,000 to implement the TeachBridge Pathways teacher preparation curriculum.
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
UT Knoxville will lead a faculty and school district partner review of TeachBridge Pathways to strengthen distance-based teacher preparation programs serving rural communities. The project will focus on aligning curriculum with state requirements and identifying components that can enhance existing licensure pathways.
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
UT Chattanooga will embed TeachBridge curriculum into existing educator preparation programs, expanding flexible pathways for working adults seeking licensure while maintaining alignment within established degree programs.
University of Tennessee Southern
UT Southern is developing a fully online, credit-bearing TeachBridge program aligned with Tennessee state standards. The program will launch undergraduate completion and post-baccalaureate licensure pathways in elementary education (K-5) and special education interventionist (K-8), expanding access for rural school districts seeking to grow licensed teachers from within their communities.
University of Tennessee at Martin
UT Martin will implement targeted TeachBridge modules through its regional centers to expand access for aspiring teachers across rural West Tennessee. The flexible curriculum is designed to strengthen the local teacher pipeline and support community-based candidates.
Salisbury University
Salisbury University will use TeachBridge Pathways to address teacher shortages across Maryland, focusing on conditionally licensed grades 7-12 teachers in rural districts. The university plans to enroll 20 to 25 teachers in its first cohort and aims to achieve a 90% persistence rate while increasing the number of fully licensed educators serving the region.
Fort Lewis College
Fort Lewis College will design the Four Corners Teacher Apprenticeship Program, integrating competency-based learning into the elementary education licensure pathway for districts in southwestern Colorado. As the only teacher licensure provider in the region, the college aims to expand access for working adults who cannot pursue traditional full-time programs.
About the TeachBridge Implementation Project
Teacher shortages remain a challenge nationwide, particularly in rural communities. The TeachBridge Implementation Project supports universities working to create flexible pathways that allow working adults to earn a teaching license while continuing to live and work in their communities. The project is supported by a $1.8 million grant awarded to the University of Tennessee System by Ascendium Education Group.
The TeachBridge Pathways curriculum used in the project was developed by faculty from several Tennessee universities working together through the Institute for Competency-Based Teacher Education. Participating institutions include the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; the University of Tennessee Southern; the University of Tennessee at Martin; Middle Tennessee State University; Lipscomb University; and Austin Peay State University.
Institutions interested in TeachBridge Pathways are encouraged to visit the TeachBridge Pathways webpage to access open educational resources, learn about membership opportunities or contact the UT System for more information.
