PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) –The Tidewater Consortium has been awarded approximately $9 million through the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Members of the consortium include: Isle of Wight County Schools, Portsmouth Public Schools and Suffolk Public Schools in collaboration with Norfolk State University (NSU) and University of Maryland.

“This funding provides critical financial support as we work to ensure that our schools are staffed with well-qualified teachers,” said Dr. Theo Cramer, Superintendent of Isle of Wight County Schools. “These resources will enable us to launch innovative initiatives that not only alleviate the teacher shortage but also cultivate leadership within our educational staff—initiatives that wouldn’t be possible without this grant.”

The TQP grant aims to improve teacher preparation by strengthening recruitment efforts and retaining skilled educators with a special focus on underserved communities.

Participants of the program will be able to earn teacher certification and administrative certification at NSU.

Additionally, the grant will support initiatives that promote professional growth and leadership development for educators.