Nov. 12, 2019
A University of South Carolina program aimed at supporting and retaining new South Carolina teachers won the prestigious Dick and Tunky Riley WhatWorksSC™ Award, given by The Riley Institute at Furman University® to celebrate promising education initiatives that are improving outcomes for South Carolina’s students. The Carolina Teacher Induction Program, CarolinaTIP, was announced as the winner at a luncheon on Nov. 12 in Columbia, South Carolina and received a $10,000 gift to support the program.
CarolinaTIP supports new teachers as they transition from university student to leading and teaching in a classroom of their own. Over 100 education alumni are participating in the College of Education program, which began in fall 2017 in an effort positively impact teaching and learning in SC by reducing the rising number of new teachers leaving the profession.
CarolinaTIP provides recent education graduates with three years of support through group workshops and individualized one-on-one coaching from experienced coaches. Teachers learn how to implement best practices ranging from behavior management to instructional strategies and receive in-class implementation support from coaches. And, 100 percent of the teachers who participated in CarolinaTIP’s first two years returned to the classroom.
“I am delighted to honor and celebrate these wonderful programs ... The finalists this year show that there are exciting things happening in our state to support new teachers, to prepare students for college and careers, and to help students during critical afterschool hours.”
-Dick Riley, former two-term Governor of South Carolina and United States Secretary of Education.
According to University Induction Coordinator, Nicole Skeen, “We are already seeing the benefits of this program. New teachers are telling us that they feel more confident leading their students, more capable of navigating the demands of the job, and, most importantly, that the program has increased their resolve to not only remain, but thrive, in the classroom. We are honored to be a finalist for this prestigious award and proud to be named among the top impactful programs that are working to improve education in our state for our students and educators.”
In addition to CarolinaTIP, this year’s WhatWorksSC finalists included:
Pickens County Career and Technology Center, a center where faculty work diligently to help students develop the skills for success in college and the workplace by encouraging students to explore their talents and interests, and then identify career opportunities that match those skills and interests.
WINGS for Kids, a comprehensive, high-quality afterschool initiative designed to equip at-risk kindergarten through fifth-grade kids with the skills they need to succeed in school, stay in school, and thrive in life.
“I am delighted to honor and celebrate these wonderful programs,” said Dick Riley, former two-term Governor of South Carolina and United States Secretary of Education. “The finalists this year show that there are exciting things happening in our state to support new teachers, to prepare students for college and careers, and to help students during critical afterschool hours.”
A national selection committee of corporate leaders and education experts selected the finalists from a broad pool of statewide nominations. Each year, the three finalists are added to Riley Institute’s WhatWorksSC Clearinghouse – an online repository of initiatives that have strong data to support how they are improving public education in South Carolina.
Prior to the awards presentation, former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined Riley on stage for a conversation about public education. Corporate partner, Colonial Life, also attended the event and graciously continues to support the program and its participants.