College of Education and Human Development

Grow Our Own Teachers in the CSRA

Teachers are vital to their communities, impacting tens of thousands of children’s lives over the decades of their career. Right now, the United States faces a shortage of more than 100,000 teachers. When you consider that 60% of teachers build their careers within 20 miles of their own high school, we find that if we want to develop good teachers in the CSRA, we need to attract them from the CSRA.

So, the AU College of Education and Human Development is working with local high school pathways teachers, induction coordinators and other school and community leaders to encourage high school students to pursue a degree in education from Augusta University. With student-oriented events, volunteer opportunities, classroom immersion, and our incredible professional development school model, we intend to grow our own teachers for the future of our community.

 Inspiring Men of Color in Education Initiative

The College of Education and Human Development is working to address the absence of racially diverse educators in both primary and secondary classrooms. Recent data from the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES) estimates that since 2014, ethnic and racial minorities make up more than half of the student population in public schools across this nation, yet people of color represent about 20% of the teachers. and only 2% are African American men. With your support, you can help us recruit, retain, encourage, and involve minority males in the field of education.

Dr. Paulette P. Harris Literacy Center

The Harris Literacy Center was formed in 1990 with the vision to create a space that would reach adults in the community who struggled with literacy. While working with these adults, it was discovered that their children often needed assistance with reading skills, as well. Thus, this vision evolved to include working with children, adolescents, and adults. Today, the center develops literacy programs that are models for our community, region, and nation.

An average of 200 students per semester benefit from the free tutoring services offered to children from grades K-12. The center is currently 100% funded through grants, and public support is greatly needed to keep this beloved and vital resource thriving.

Augusta’s new community center, “The HUB,” located at 631 Chafee Ave, recently became the new home of the AU Literacy Center. The new site is at an intersection between the Augusta historic Harrisburg and Laney-Walker neighborhoods. The location allows for consistent access to the center via the city bus service and will be located in the same development as the Boys & Girls Club. Supporting the Literacy Center will help us continue the mission to provide free literacy instruction in the metro-Augusta area.