Teachers in local school systems now have the opportunity to advance their education at a discounted rate.

Through partnerships with the University of West Alabama’s Teacher Connect program, teachers in Demopolis, Marengo County and Hale County are now eligible to apply for a Teacher Connect scholarship, which would discount the cost of the online courses even more.

The UWA Teacher Connect program is designed for participating systems to offer teachers a discount of $200 per credit hour for online studies. Teachers can choose from UWA’s 38 master’s and education specialist degrees. With accelerated online terms, teachers can earn their advanced degrees in two years.

For educators, advanced degrees can lead to salary increases. An added benefit is that teachers can work to increase the amount of retirement income they will receive.

The benefits of the UWA Teacher Connect program extend beyond the teachers as well.

Students also see the benefit of their teachers’ participation in the program. Their teachers are exposed to the latest technology and trends in education, providing them with an educational experience that better prepares them for college.

The deadline to apply for a scholarship for the Teacher Connect program is Thursday, July 24, and the deadline to enroll for the first fall online term is July 31.

Teachers in the three school systems who would like to apply for the scholarship for a graduate level education program should contact their school’s Teacher Connect coordinator or a UWA online recruiter at uwaonline@uwa.edu.

To learn more about how schools can build UWA Teacher Connect partnerships, contact UWA Online Recruiting Director Lisa Compton at 205-652-5445 or lcompton@uwa.edu.