Rider Teams Up With West Windsor Schools To Battle Teacher Shortage

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — The national teacher shortage is affecting many school districts in New Jersey. To address the issue, Rider University is partnering with the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District to offer a new program that will support staff employees becoming teachers.

Rider’s Pathways to Teaching program will allow eligible West Windsor-Plainsboro Service Association (WWPSA) employees, including instructional assistants, cafeteria aides, custodians, bus drivers, secretaries and other support staff, to transition to certified teachers. Candidates will receive tuition assistance for completing a bachelor’s degree in their chosen field and/or a teaching certificate.

“We are excited to announce our new partnership with Rider University that will provide our instructional assistants and support staff with the opportunity to transition into certified staff members,” David Aderhold, superintendent of schools at West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, said in a statement.

“These employees provide essential services that have a significant and positive impact on our students and the larger school community. By offering this program, we aim to not only benefit our employees but also strengthen the district's robust and diverse teaching staff, and the quality of education in our community.”

Additionally, employees of the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District and their immediate family members may be eligible for a 20 percent tuition reduction through Rider's partnership with the New Jersey.

Jason Barr, dean of Rider’s College of Education and Human Services said he was excited about the partnership with the school district.

“West Windsor-Plainsboro (WWP) has always supported our teachers-in-training and hired many of our graduates. This is a wonderful opportunity to expand that partnership by offering high-quality teacher training to the WWP support staff, teacher aides and other service professionals,” Barr said.

“We’re proud of the long-term investment that both Rider and West Windsor-Plainsboro are making in the teaching profession as a whole.”

Beginning in the fall 2023 semester, the University will offer a $2,000 annual scholarship for eligible incoming first-year and transfer undergraduate education majors. The University has also been coordinating with school districts to help create “grow your own'' programs that would help teacher aides and other paraprofessionals obtain a bachelor’s degree and then complete the University’s alternate route teaching certificate program.

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