Escambia County School Board Approves Reach University Partnership to Help Paraprofessionals Become Teachers

The Escambia County Board of Education took action on a wide slate of academic, financial, and facilities items during a special-called meeting on Thursday, July 30, most notably approving a new partnership designed to help the district grow its own teachers from within its existing workforce. Board members signed off on a memorandum of understanding with Reach University that will allow current paraprofessionals employed in Escambia County schools to work toward full teaching certification while continuing to earn a paycheck, at a cost to participants of just $75 per month over a two-year period.

The meeting also produced approvals covering new Pre-K facilities at two elementary campuses, updated salary schedules for district employees, the renewal of a behavior-support software platform, a new contract for applied behavior analysis services, and a long list of personnel actions ranging from new hires to summer student worker assignments.

A Low-Cost Pathway From Classroom Aide to Certified Teacher

The agreement with Reach University reflects a growing strategy among Alabama school districts to address teacher shortages by investing in employees who are already familiar faces in the classroom. Paraprofessionals, often called teacher’s aides, work directly alongside certified teachers and frequently build strong relationships with students, but many lack the bachelor’s degree and state certification required to lead a classroom on their own.

Programs like the one Escambia County has now adopted are structured as “grow your own” teacher pipelines, letting support staff continue working, and earning an income, while completing coursework toward licensure at a fraction of the cost of a traditional degree program. Under the terms approved by the board, eligible paraprofessionals will pay $75 per month for two years to work toward a teaching credential through Reach University, a nonprofit, accredited institution that has partnered with school systems around the country to offer apprenticeship-style teacher preparation.

For a rural district like Escambia County, where recruiting and retaining certified teachers can be more difficult than in larger metropolitan systems, cultivating educators from within the local community is seen as a way to build a more stable, long-term teaching workforce while giving dedicated support staff a clear and affordable path to career advancement.

New Pre-K Buildings Approved for Two Elementary Schools

To support early childhood education efforts, the board approved the purchase of Pre-K shed structures for both A.C. Moore Primary School and W.S. Neal Elementary School, with each unit priced at $24,725 and paid for out of FY26 Pre-K funds. The structures will be provided through a contract with Pitts Dozer Service.

Additional classroom space for Pre-K programming is a priority for many Alabama districts as early learning initiatives continue to expand, with research consistently showing that high-quality early childhood education can improve literacy, school readiness, and long-term academic outcomes for young learners.

Behavior Support Services Renewed and Expanded

The board also renewed its contract for Insights to Behavior software, licensed from Briton Education, at a cost of $17,445, funded through Title IV Carryover dollars, which are designated for programs that support well-rounded education, safe and healthy students, and effective use of technology. The renewal ensures continuity for a tool the district uses to track and support student behavior.

In a related action, the board approved a new contract with Innovative Behavioral and Consulting Services to provide applied behavior analysis, commonly known as ABA, effective Aug. 1, 2026 through June 1, 2027. The extension covers A.C. Moore Primary School and Rachel Patterson Elementary School and will add two behavioral staff members to work at those campuses five days a week. ABA is a widely used, evidence-based approach for supporting students with behavioral or developmental needs, and its inclusion in the district’s service offerings reflects an ongoing effort to provide individualized support for students who require additional behavioral intervention to succeed in the classroom.

Salary Schedule Revisions and Personnel Actions

Board members approved revisions to both the district’s general salary schedule and its summer salary schedule, adjustments that affect how employees are compensated during the regular school year and the summer months. While specific dollar figures were not detailed in the meeting summary, salary schedule updates are a routine but important part of keeping a district’s compensation competitive, particularly amid statewide efforts to recruit and retain qualified teachers and staff. Before personnel recommendations were approved, District 4 Boardmember Cindy Jackson abstained from voting on the first name listed under summer employment, and the board went into a 10-minute executive session to discuss the general reputation and character of an individual.

District 7 Boardmember Coleman Wallace also asked that the second name listed under transfers be held out for separate consideration; once the board returned from executive session, that transfer was approved as well. The board’s personnel actions for the meeting included several resignations: Shellie Henderson, CNP seven-hour worker at Flomaton Elementary, effective July 15; Samantha Trawick, teacher at A.C. Moore Primary School, effective Aug. 2; Anna Ellis, paraprofessional at A.C. Moore Primary School, effective July 16; Charlie Henderson, teacher at Escambia County High School, effective July 20; Heather Walton, teacher and bus driver at W.S. Neal Middle School and the Brewton Bus Shop, effective May 22; and Kimberly Bailey-Martin, custodian at Flomaton High School, effective July 27.

New employment approved by the board included Patrice Fountain and Ruel Meadows as teachers at Rachel Patterson Elementary School and Flomaton High School respectively, along with Kimberly Dozier and Jonathan Pennington as teachers at Flomaton High School and Pollard-McCall Junior High School, all effective Aug. 4. Bianca Easley was approved as bookkeeper at Huxford Elementary School effective July 30, and Leslie Gonzalez was approved as a paraprofessional at A.C. Moore Primary School effective Aug. 4. The board approved several substitute teacher hires effective Aug. 10, including Ima Sue Beasley, Amouri Smith, April Dunsford, Jamanda Carmichael, DeAsia Fountain, Shemeka Floyd and Erica Jackson as substitute teachers, along with Deveron Brown at the Brewton Bus Shop.

Bus driver supplements, also effective Aug. 10, were approved for Pamela Sheets, Dot Bell, Sherry Popwell, April Monk, Quincy Nearer, Daphney Thompson, Sara Lowery, Stacey Thomas and April Grubb in Brewton, and for Heather Baggett and Haleigh Alexander in Atmore. Employee transfers approved by the board included Josh Hardy, moving from teacher at Flomaton Elementary School to teacher at Flomaton High School, and Dalton Shell, moving from teacher at W.S. Neal High School to teacher at Flomaton Elementary School, both effective Aug. 4. The board also approved employment changes for Destiny Wright, moving from seven-hour CNP worker at W.S. Neal Middle School to special education paraprofessional at Flomaton High School; Guin Cosey, moving from special education aide to special education teacher, both at Flomaton High School; and Trevon Lambert, moving from OCS aide at Rachel Patterson Elementary School to teacher at Escambia Alternative School, all effective Aug. 4. Summer student workers approved through Aug. 7 included Jon Fonvielle, Parker Booker, Grady Goolsby, Sheperd Allbritton and Cameron Bloack in the maintenance department, and Peyton Murphy in the business office. The board also approved rehires effective Aug. 4, including Earlean Simon as teacher at Escambia County High School, Doug Gerety as a part-time teacher at W.S. Neal High School, June Kent as a part-time special education teacher, and Robert Brown as teacher at Rachel Patterson Elementary School.

What It Means for Escambia County Families

Taken together, the July 30 meeting outlines several ways the Escambia County school system is investing in both its workforce and its youngest students ahead of the new academic year. The Reach University partnership in particular offers a glimpse into how the district plans to address staffing needs over the long term, by turning experienced paraprofessionals into the certified teachers standing at the front of Escambia County classrooms in the years ahead.

About Alabama’s Pre-K Program

Alabama’s state-funded, voluntary pre-kindergarten program, known as First Class Pre-K, is administered by the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education and operates in public schools, Head Start programs, child care centers and other sites around the state. The program has repeatedly been recognized by the National Institute for Early Education Research for meeting all of the institute’s quality standards for state pre-K programs.

Related coverage from South AL News

• Escambia County School Board Approves New Contracts, Handwriting Curriculum and Dozens of Staff Changes
• Blue Devils Get a Big Upgrade: New Video Board Coming to Herbert Barnes Stadium
• New University of Mobile, Coastal Alabama Agreement Opens a Clear Transfer Path for Future Teachers
• Hurricane Isaias Recovery in Escambia County Presses On as Displaced Brewton Families Get Help