GENERATE Grant Program

Georgia Educators Networking to Revolutionize and Transform Education

Mercer University’s GENERATE teacher residency program provides a path for career changers to obtain Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) or B.S.Ed. in Early Learning and Development degrees, become certified teachers in Georgia, and teach in high-need content areas within partner school districts. The program provides individuals with a combination of professional development, mentoring, professional learning communities, and computer science and cybersecurity training.

GENERATE also provides induction support to prepare and retain
teachers who are ready to address the needs of all children in partner school districts and prepare these future educators with the knowledge and skills they need to provide an education that creates healthy development of students.

Goals of the GENERATE grant program include:

  • Increase and diversify the number of highly-qualified educators in high-needs content areas within partnering schools and districts.
  • Establish a mentoring and induction program that empowers educators and leaders to effectively use research-based instructional strategies to contribute to P-12 student-learning growth.
  • Provide a cultural exchange initiative for Exploring Teaching as a Career candidates to prepare them to work with peers, families, students, and administrators of diverse backgrounds between two or more diverse institutions.
  • Implement a professional development series that aligns with the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) Computer Science Assessment and prepare residents to teach Introduction to Cybersecurity.

It is projected that teachers who participate in the GENERATE grant program will impact more than 92,000 students within five years.

Program partners

  • Mercer University’s College of Education
  • Baldwin County Schools
  • Bibb County School District
  • Clayton County Public Schools
  • Dougherty County School System
  • Dublin City Schools
  • Newton County Schools
  • Pike County Schools
  • Twiggs County Public Schools
  • Dalton State College

Program benefits

  • Tuition and fees paid by grant program
  • $500 stipend per semester
  • GACE preparation support
  • Computer Science endorsement through M.A.T. grant program
  • Special Education Preschool (Ages 3-5) endorsement through B.S.Ed. ELAD grant program
  • Annual summits held for participants to reunite with their cohorts and discuss experiences and achievements

Learn more about the GENERATE Grant Program

REQUEST INFORMATION

GENERATE Grant Program

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission through the GENERATE grant program must be employed by or complete their residency in one of the partnering districts. For entry into the M.A.T. program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or be enrolled in an undergraduate program at an eligible partner institution or for entry into the B.S.Ed. ELAD program, applications must have completed a minimum of 60 semester hours from a college or university accredited by an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, with a preferred undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

M.A.T. required application materials include:

  • Completed application for admission
  • Application fee – WAIVED
  • Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions
  • GACE Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment completion certificate
  • Passing score on GACE Content Assessment in Middle Grades, Secondary, or P-12 education
  • Successful completion of a specified number of semester hours of content area coursework earned in conjunction with a bachelor’s degree or higher from a GaPSC-approved institution (number of hours depends on transcript analysis)

B.S.Ed. required application materials include:

  • Completed application for admission
  • Application fee – WAIVED
  • Official transcripts from high school or GED (if applicable)
  • Official college transcripts of all college-level work from all previously attended institutions
Faculty interview may be required.
International applicants should consult the University catalog for additional requirements.