A&M-Texarkana “Eagles Teach” Program Awarded $750k Grant to Expand Reach, Scope of Program

TEXARKANA, Texas – The Eagles Teach program at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, designed to address the growing teacher shortage in rural East Texas by creating a seamless pathway for high school students to become future educators, was recently awarded a $750,000 grant to expand the scope and reach of the program to include additional schools and more students.

Eagles Teach was the recipient of the Moody Foundation’s Education M-Pact Fund Cycle 4 grant, considered among the most exclusive education funding opportunities in Texas. Applications to the grants are available by invitation only, and only 15 grants are awarded from the highly competitive pool of applicants.

Through partnerships with local school districts and dual credit opportunities, Eagles Teach allows students to begin preparing for careers in education while in high school. Participants earn a significant number of college credit and can transition directly into Texas A&M University-Texarkana’s Educator Preparation Program upon graduation. They can then graduate from the University in as little as two years and pursue Texas teacher certification.

“We are proud of the work Eagles Teach is doing to create a pipeline of talented, local teachers in our area,” said A&M-Texarkana President Dr. Ross Alexander. “The fact that they were invited to apply for and ultimately received this competitive funding is indicative of the success this program has had since day one.” 

The Eagles Teach program began through a combined $1.2 million investment from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation and the Texas Pioneer Foundation. The program is currently in Year 3 of the 5-year grant initiative, and serves students through partnerships with Liberty Eylau ISD, Pleasant Grove ISD, and Texarkana (Tx) ISD. The additional $750k in grant funding will allow the program to

• Expand into three additional rural school districts, beginning with Atlanta ISD in 2026-2027
• Add additional staffing and support to strengthen program operations and student support 
• Increase access to dual credit and educator preparation pathways 
• Continue developing a sustainable rural educator workforce pipeline

The Eagles Teach program is led by Program Specialist Amy Miller, a career educator with 18 years of experience and principal certification. Miller is also a current doctoral student in A&M-Texarkana’s Ed.D. program. 

“One of the things I love most about Eagles Teach is that this program is focused on building and providing homegrown, certified teachers who will one day pour right back into the very communities that helped raise them,” said Miller. “It creates a cycle of investment, opportunity, and service that has the power to transform education in our community for generations to come.”

For additional information about the Eagles Teach program at Texas A&M University-Texarkana please contact Amy Miller at amiller1@tamut.edu.