NKU receives grant to address critical teacher shortage, strengthen educator pipeline

August 6, 2025 - Northern Kentucky University is continuing to lead the way in reducing the regional and nationwide teacher shortage with the launch of the Haile Foundation Future Educator Fellows Program. NKU will have a direct impact on quality K-12 education in the region by building a sustainable pipeline of dedicated and community-oriented educators. This program is funded by a grant from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation.

“The Haile Foundation is proud to support NKU’s efforts to cultivate a new generation of educators, as NKU aims to strengthen the educational landscape in the region and ensure all students have access to dedicated, community-oriented teachers,” says Haile Foundation President & CEO Bernie McKay. “The Haile Foundation Future Educator Fellows Program is an investment in our children and our communities.”

The Haile Foundation Future Educator Fellows program aims to reduce the cost of obtaining a teaching certification by building on the success of NKU’s Young Scholars Academy (YSA). The program will support YSA graduates from under-resourced school districts in completing their bachelor of education degrees at reduced cost and with enhanced training to prepare them to successfully serve schools in the Northern Kentucky region with the highest need.  

“With this program, we are hoping to attract dedicated, high-achieving students who graduate from the Young Scholars Academy to pursue teaching degrees,” says NKU Provost Diana McGill. “We are grateful for the Haile Foundation’s partnership in piloting this program, and for the opportunity to train the next generation of educators in service to the region’s students.”

Beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, the program will offer selected students an annual tuition discount, employment opportunities with NKU’s K-12 summer camps and a first-year housing stipend upon certification and employment. The initiative’s goal is to produce more than one dozen certified teachers by 2030, primarily serving Title I eligible school districts in the Northern Kentucky region.

“YSA was built on the belief that fair access to and support through postsecondary education should be available to all young people,” says YSA Director Dan Ginn. “We are excited to be able to expand our services to these outstanding scholars and further support them in pursing fulfilling careers as educators.”

Founded in 2020, the Young Scholars Academy is designed to fill the early-college access gap for students in the Northern Kentucky region. In YSA, high school juniors and seniors experience wraparound support that empowers them personally, academically and professionally while earning college credit. Since its inception, YSA has graduated more than 350 students from the program, more than half of which have gone on to pursue a bachelor’s degree at NKU. For more information about YSA, visit the NKU website.