Dalton State College has been awarded $553,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) to support the Roadrunner Para to Teacher Pathway Program, an initiative designed to strengthen the teacher pipeline across Northwest Georgia by helping local paraprofessionals become licensed educators. Sponsored by Sen. Jon Ossoff and Sen. Raphael Warnock, the project received bipartisan support from Georgia’s Congressional delegation.
“This investment will have a lasting impact on Northwest Georgia by helping address one of the most pressing challenges facing our schools: the need for highly qualified teachers,” Dalton State President John Fuchko said. “We are deeply grateful to Senators Ossoff and Warnock and our federal partners for recognizing the importance of developing local talent to serve local classrooms. By supporting paraprofessionals who are already committed to our schools and communities, this funding will help create a sustainable pipeline of educators who understand our region, care deeply about our students and are prepared to make a difference from day one.”
Funding will support several areas expected to have the greatest impact on student success and program completion, including field experiences, mentor teacher stipends, licensure preparation and testing costs, technology expenses, classroom supplies and other critical resources that help paraprofessionals balance full-time employment while completing degree and certification requirements.
“Growing up, it was my teachers who believed in me before I truly believed in myself. That’s why I’m proud to support Dalton State College in their mission to fill Georgia’s classrooms with qualified, passionate teachers,” Warnock said. “Right now, Georgia is facing a significant teacher shortage. With this additional funding, Roadrunner Para Pathway to Teaching will continue to help aspiring teachers have a clear path to the classroom.”
The Roadrunner Para to Teacher Pathway Program was championed by Dean Emerita Sharon Hixon and developed through a strong partnership among Dalton State College, Whitfield County Schools and Dalton Public Schools. Hixon played a key role in both launching the initiative and bringing the partners together to create a pathway for paraprofessionals to become certified teachers while remaining employed in their schools. The program is specifically designed for paraprofessionals who often hold degrees in non-education fields or have completed some college coursework and are seeking a route into the teaching profession.
Participants continue working alongside teachers and students while completing coursework in the evenings and summers. The program also provides supportive internships and field experiences across multiple grade levels to meet Georgia Professional Standards Commission requirements for elementary teacher licensure.
For Tiffany Seiber, a Dalton State student in the Roadrunner Para to Teacher Pathway Program, the program’s structure allows her to work full-time as a paraprofessional at Blue Ridge Elementary School while pursuing her degree at Dalton State.
“This program has made becoming a teacher feel achievable without requiring me to leave the students, school and profession that I already love,” Seiber said. ” Being able to remain in the classroom while completing my coursework has been especially valuable because I am able to connect what I am learning in college with the hands-on experience I gain every day working with students.”
Seiber has been a paraprofessional for five years and was recently named Blue Ridge Elementary School’s Classified Staff Member of the Year for 2025-2026.
Over the past decade, Dalton State has prepared approximately 900 teachers through its traditional education programs, with most remaining in the local area. The para-to-teacher model builds on that success by creating additional pathways for aspiring educators and helping school systems fill vacancies with professionals who already understand their schools, students and communities.
“The Roadrunner Para to Teacher Pathway Program creates opportunities that can be transformative for both aspiring teachers and the students they will ultimately serve,” Helene Robinson, dean of the School of Education, said. “By removing barriers and investing in their success, we are helping dedicated school employees become highly qualified educators who will continue serving the communities they already know and love.”
