Of the more than 300 new teachers who joined Miami-Dade County Public Schools in August, most started out in other careers: everything from accounting to nursing.
In fact, career-changers are a significant source of new teachers—and one solution to the persistent teacher shortage in South Florida. That’s where Achieve Miami's Teacher Accelerator Program (TAP) comes in.
A partnership between the School of Education and Human Development and Achieve Miami, TAP equips non-education majors and mid-career professionals with the credentials, experience, and mentorship to ease their direct path into classroom teaching.
For undergraduate or graduate students, TAP includes a spring semester course and a paid summer internship that paves the way to a guaranteed teaching position with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
For South Florida-based alumni contemplating a career change, TAP offers flexible 12-week options at Miami-Dade College campuses around the county.
Angela Morello, senior program manager for TAP, encouraged alumni to consider the program. “University of Miami alumni already have the foundation to make a real difference in South Florida classrooms,” she said. “With its targeted training, coaching, and hands-on classroom experience, TAP offers the resources to support alumni in this career transition.”
The program also covers subject area exams, required fingerprinting, and Florida certification costs. Program graduates are supported into full-time roles in public, charter, or private schools across Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.
Miami philanthropist and education activist Leslie Miller Saiontz, founder and president of Achieve Miami, initially approached Laura Kohn-Wood, dean of the School of Education and Human Development, with the idea of TAP in 2022. They developed the partnership between the University and the community.
“There are so many talented and passionate people who are qualified to teach but lack a clear pathway into the classroom,” Miller Saiontz said. “Achieve Miami created the Teacher Accelerator Program to build a pipeline that connects aspiring educators with the preparation and support they need to enter the profession. What began as a pilot at the University of Miami has grown into one of the largest sources of teaching talent in Miami.
“TAP is not only opening doors for future teachers—it’s strengthening our schools and communities.”
Check out the Teacher Accelerator Program
