Edith Noriega never intended to become a teacher. But after working with students, Noriega transitioned to a bilingual resource specialist role at Schenk Elementary School on the city’s east side. She also enrolled last year in the school district’s new Grow Your Own program.
The program provides tuition, a $17,000 stipend and benefits for Madison Metropolitan School District staff to work toward an associate’s degree from Madison College. Participants are then guaranteed admission to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to work toward a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and teaching credentials.