'Teacher Prep' Charter School Seen as a First

By Julie Blair

Future teachers living in the Phoenix area are invited to begin their training as early as age 14 at a new charter high school designed to grow educators for the region's classrooms.

Slated to open next fall, the Teacher Prep Charter High School is believed to be the first charter school in the nation to focus on grooming students for teaching careers. It plans to provide students with introductory classes in pedagogy and various field experiences in education, in addition to the rest of the high school curriculum, said Corina Gardea, the president of Phoenix College, one of two community colleges in Phoenix partnering to develop the program.

"We keep hearing about the great need for teachers not only in Maricopa County, but nationwide," Ms. Gardea said. "We know the shortage is only going to become greater as scores of teachers begin to retire ... so we created a high school that...