WT Launches Buff Residency Program to Combat Regional Teacher Shortages

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas - Following a successful pilot year, West Texas A&M University's Department of Education officially is launching a program aimed at addressing teacher shortages.

The Buff Residency program offers aspiring educators a year-long, paid clinical teaching experience where they co-teach alongside a mentor. In the process, they gain authentic classroom experience and build the confidence to lead their own classroom.

"Research consistently shows that teacher residencies are a high-quality preparation pathway that improves pre-kindergarten through 12th grade student learning, strengthens teacher confidence, and supports long-term retention in the profession," said Dr. Betty Coneway, head of the Department of Education and the Dr. Geneva Schaeffer Professor of Education and Social Sciences in the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences.

Unlike traditional clinical teaching, which typically occurs over a shorter period near the end of a candidate's program, residency begins earlier and spans the entire school year, said Allison Kleman, teacher residency site coordinator.

"This extended experience allows residents to see the full scope of teaching-from the first day of school to end-of-year assessments-and to engage more deeply in the work of the classroom," Kleman said. "Residents are active members of the school community, participating in planning, instruction and campus initiatives alongside their host teachers."

WT partnered with Canyon Independent School District and the US Prep National Center at Texas Tech University for the pilot year, in which six students were placed at four schools for the academic year: Jasmine Covarrubias, a senior education major from Hondo, at Lakeview Elementary School; Colton Gallandat, a senior education major from Joshua at Pinnacle Intermediate School and Randall Junior and High School; Soleil Guckian, a senior education major from San Antonio, at Arden Road Elementary School; Alina Heredia, a senior education major from Borger, at Reeves-Hinger Elementary School; Tiffany Lunde, a senior education major from Amarillo, at Reeves-Hinger; and Maggie McIntyre, a senior education major from Liberal, Kansas, at Lakeview.

"We are deeply grateful for our partnership with US Prep's transformation specialists and the innovative leadership at Canyon ISD," Coneway said. "We look forward to many years of collaboration with them and our partner school districts as we continue to build and refine the WT Buff Teacher Residency program."

They were celebrated at a May 6 reception at Canyon ISD administrative offices. Heredia and Lunde have already accepted positions in the fall at Amarillo ISD.

"I strongly encourage college students pursuing education to consider the residency program," Lunde said. "The experience of supporting the same students throughout an entire school year provided both practical skills and confidence for my first year of teaching, while also helping me establish professional connections that led to early employment."

Developing great teachers "starts with meaningful, hands-on experience," said Dr. Darryl Flusche, Canyon ISD superintendent.

"Through our partnership with WT and the Buff Residency program, these candidates experience the full rhythm of a school year while building the confidence and relationships needed for long-term success in the classroom," Flusche said. "It's an incredible way to prepare the next generation of educators."

Students must apply to be considered for a residency position and must meet certain requirements, including testing.

The Department of Education also recently announced its 2026-2027 cohort, expanding to additional school districts.

Students include:

• Evan Blankenship, a junior education major from Amarillo, at Amarillo ISD
• Mia Briseno, a senior education major from Amarillo, at Amarillo ISD
• Kathleen Curry, a senior education major from Andrews, at Amarillo ISD
• Berdena DeGroot-Troyer, a senior education major from Canyon, at Canyon ISD
• Kacie Eugea, a senior education major from Groom, at Amarillo ISD
• Taetem Fox, a senior education major from Seguin, at Amarillo ISD
• Alexandria Garcia, a senior education major from Dumas, at Dumas ISD
• Jordan Johnson, a junior education major from Amarillo, at Canyon ISD
• John Lucero, a senior education major from Tahoka, at Lubbock ISD
• Savannah Miller, a senior education major from Canyon, at Canyon ISD
• Valeria Perez, a senior education major from Amarillo, at Amarillo ISD
• Trinity Puryear, a senior education major from Amarillo, at Amarillo ISD
• Victoria Rinker, a senior education major from Perryton, at Pampa ISD
• Paula Rodriguez, a senior education major from Amarillo, at Amarillo ISD
• Natalee Romero, a senior education major from Floydada, at Canyon ISD
• Nola Trolinder, a junior education major from Canyon, at Canyon ISD
• Ashlyn Verner, a senior education major from Amarillo, at Amarillo ISD

This cohort of resident students will teach in a variety of content areas, including early childhood through sixth grade, social studies, mathematics, science and history.

The Buff Residency program is modeled after a similar program launched in 2021 by the Texas Education Agency.

Funding for the program is made possible through a combination of state-supported initiatives and district partnerships. Programs such as Texas Strategic Staffing and grants from Learning Acceleration Support Opportunities provide districts with financial support to compensate resident teachers. Partner districts are the ones who directly fund and pay residents, while WT works alongside districts to coordinate and sustain the program-making it a shared investment in developing future educators.

WT opened in 1910 as West Texas State Normal College, a school that trained teachers. Today, about 75 percent of all teachers and administrators throughout the Panhandle region have at least one degree or certificate from WT.

Most recently, WT has launched the Region 16 Excellence Initiative, which offers half-off tuition and mandatory fees for all full-time teachers, administrators, librarians, nurses, counselors or paraprofessionals and their dependents in Region 16 Education Service Center.

WT also offers the Educators Excellence Initiative, offering half-off tuition and mandatory fees for those same employees, but not their dependents, at Regions 17 and 18 ESCs, as well as full-time employees of the ESCs. That offer also is extended to the same employees at 1A and 2A schools and community colleges around the state.

Serving the people of Texas, primarily in rural regions, is the key mission of the University's long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which raised more than $200 million dollars, the largest such campaign in Texas Panhandle history.

About West Texas A&M University

West Texas A&M University is a Regional Research University in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers multiple options for students to graduate and succeed: 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men's and women's athletics programs.

Photo: West Texas A&M University's Department of Education celebrated the successful conclusion of the pilot year of Buff Residency, in which teacher candidates spend a full year in the classroom while completing their degrees. Pilot participants were, from left, Tiffany Lunde, Maggie McIntyre, Soliel Guckian, Colton Gallandat, Jasmine Covarrubias and Alina Heredia.

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