TRAINING & RETAINING URBAN STUDENT TEACHERS

The Trust Initiative

The TRUST Initiative operates under the auspices of the School of Education’s Urban Education Project. It is a five-year partnership grant awarded in October 2004 to the University of Alabama at Birmingham through the Office of Post-Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education. The TRUST partnership includes UAB, the Birmingham City Schools, the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education, and the College Board.

The primary objective of the TRUST Initiative is to prepare teachers who have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to promote high levels of student academic achievement in urban schools, and who are committed to remaining in those schools.

As is illustrated by the diagram below, the TRUST Initiative is composed of three major elements: the Urban Teacher Enhancement Program; the Professional Development Zone; and the Alabama Teacher Training and Induction Network (ATTAIN), a support program for new teachers.