A one‑year, low‑debt teaching program is launching the careers of soon-to-graduate students, career‑switching professionals and parents returning to school to serve high‑needs rural schools across Mississippi.
More than 3,800 licensed teaching positions were reported as unfilled statewide in 2025–26, worsening shortages in already struggling districts. To help close that gap, USM’s Golden Eagle Teacher Residency covers full tuition, textbooks, licensure exams, test‑prep software and a $20,000 living stipend for residents training to teach elementary and special education. The program, funded by about $3.6 million in federal, state and AmeriCorps grants, is now selecting its next cohort. Andrea Krell, executive director of the Mississippi Center for Apprenticeships and Residency in Education, recently helped interview candidates.
For current teaching resident Rachel Hunt, the program turned substitute teaching at her children’s school into a full teaching career at DeLisle Elementary School while reducing her potential out‑of‑pocket costs from about $50,000 in loans to just $5,000.
“I think this program is absolutely a miracle,” Hunt said. “A lot of people can’t afford to go and get a second degree, let alone a master’s.”
She saw that lack of access firsthand while working as a substitute teacher, where she saw the desperate need for educators—particularly in special education. Through the program, she is not only gaining a pathway into the profession but also a deeper understanding of special education and how the school system works.
“Being in the coursework has been an eye‑opener to a lot of things related to school, especially as far as special education,” Hunt said. “I feel like I finally understand the system now, and that’s really empowering.”
That deeper understanding has also clarified how she sees her role in the classroom.
“My biggest thing is to advocate,” she added. “To be an advocate for children that don’t have parents or guardians to really speak up for them, and that a lot of these children here really rely on their teachers.”
That shared sense of purpose is reflected in teacher resident Brittany Mabile’s experience. The program has allowed her to spend significant time in the classroom helping children see their own potential—guiding their growth and supporting their learning—while, she hopes, serving as a bright spot in their day.
“It’s not just about academics,” Mabile said. “It’s also about encouragement, confidence, and making sure they’re actually getting the support they’re supposed to receive.”
That belief guides her work in the classroom today. Although she initially wanted to become a substitute teacher, she is now completing her teaching residency in the South Pike School District in Osyka, Mississippi. The small, close-knit school serves only about 200 students, and while limited funding presents challenges, its motto remains: “We do a lot with a little.” And for Mabile, that philosophy is evident in the school’s atmosphere.
“What the school may lack in extra activities or fancy playground equipment, they make up for in the way they nurture and care for the children as if they were their own,” Mabile said. “It really is like a little family.”
Through AmeriCorps, Mabile has deepened her connection to the community by participating in national days of service, including teaching elementary students about kindness on September 11 and creating cards for nursing home residents alongside the students on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Those experiences reflect what first drew her to the classroom: a desire to build meaningful connections.
“I truly value the human connection,” she said. “I think that’s really what I started to notice more when I was working with my own kids and then again when I started substituting. It wasn’t just the teaching part, it was the relationships and just being able to connect with them.”
