On Feb. 22, Eastern University’s College of Education partnered with a grant program called the Eligible Partnership Grant Program. Awarded by Governor Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera, more than $3 million was given to three universities: Eastern, Cabrini and LaSalle.
All three universities are designating these funds to form the Early Learning Instructional Coaching Program (ELPIC). With LaSalle leading the program, its intent is to prepare teachers to become school administrators.
Eastern’s Interim Dean of the College of Education, Dr. Harry Gutelius, explains, “Eastern’s College of Education is excited to be a partner in the new ELPIC grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This grant will enable us to prepare 40 teachers over a two-year period to become school administrators in the state of Pennsylvania. Since all of these teachers will come from Philadelphia and the immediate surrounding area, we are very pleased to have the opportunity to train so many who will be leaders in public education in our region.”
The new program is bolting out of the gate with the first course starting shortly.
Cabrini education professor Dr. Thomas Conway says, “What this grant allows us to do now with principals is to give them framework, a perspective of coaching, which some have, some are good coaches, but not everyone is. So this will pay tuition money for people who want to become future principals themselves. Here at Cabrini, that allows us to bring on 20 new students for this first year and then 20 new students next year, too. Their courses have been infused with not only the things they have to learn to become a principal or school leader, but were also added in instructional coaching.”
Eastern will likely see similar results in the number of students enrolled as the program goes into effect.
Sources: eastern.edu, Loquitur
Lenora Kirkland 
Colin Tomczak 
Ella Curcuruto