A new partnership between William Penn University and the Oskaloosa Community School District is piloting a student teaching stipend program that leaders say could ease financial burdens, strengthen teacher retention, and provide a direct pipeline of educators for the community.
The initiative, launched this fall, provides student teachers with a $1,000 stipend per semester funded by Oskaloosa Schools. For students like Liam Bryant and Carson McClellan, who helped lead the effort, the program is about more than money; it’s about valuing the teaching profession and giving future educators the support they need to succeed.
“For student teachers, a stipend means they can focus on developing their teaching skills and building strong relationships with their mentor teachers and students,” said McClellan, a William Penn graduate. “It helps with student outcomes a lot, because student teachers won’t have to worry about affording necessities and they can put that energy towards creating instruction that is meaningful for students.”
Bryant, a William Penn senior, said the stipend emerged as a solution to one of the most pressing issues in education: teacher retention. “By offering a stipend, it shows people care about you in this world,” he said. “It helps with necessities like gas and food, and at the same time, it provides mentorship. We wanted to find a way to help address retention rates in the profession.”
The idea dates back to 2023, when William Penn students joined the Iowa Association of Colleges for Teacher Education at the State Capitol. Faculty and students were encouraged to meet with legislators and bring forward an “ask.” Jamie Nelson, professor of elementary and special education at William Penn, said the group agreed to focus on one unified request – a stipend for student teaching.
“Business students get paid for internships. Engineers get paid for internships. Why shouldn’t educators?” Nelson said. “We want future teachers to feel valued and respected, because education itself is valuable and critical for our communities.”
Iowa legislators encouraged the group to pilot the program locally to demonstrate its effectiveness. From there, the project took off. McClellan said he learned about similar initiatives at a national aspiring educators conference, where students from other states shared how local school districts had partnered with universities to offer stipends to student teachers.
“Some states offer tuition benefits, others provide living stipends,” McClellan said. “We decided to focus on the basics: gas, food, and rent. That’s what makes a difference day to day for student teachers.”
Collaboration with Oskaloosa Schools
The partnership with Oskaloosa Schools provided William Penn students with the opportunity to work closely with district leaders, including Superintendent Dr. Mike Fisher. The students utilized project management tools, such as Trello, to assign tasks and track progress, meeting every two weeks to review updates.
“We learned important skills that we can take into our careers,” McClellan said. “This experience showed us how we could become leaders in the teaching profession.”
Bryant said the approach allowed the group to work independently while still receiving strong mentorship. “It wasn’t something where we had to meet every second of the day,” he said. “We could bite off a task, get it done, and move on. It gave us ownership.”
Fisher’s leadership, they said, challenged them to take responsibility for the project while also equipping them with real-world skills. “He expected a lot from us, but we pushed ourselves because we believed in the project,” McClellan said.
A Student-Led Effort
Nelson emphasized that the program was not the result of faculty pushing from behind the scenes but a genuine student-led effort. Along with Bryant and McClellan, students Ellie Breon, Gwyneth Utterback (an Oskaloosa High School graduate), and Rylie Hamilton all played key roles.
“They did it all,” Nelson said. “They worked outside of class hours, even while juggling part-time jobs, athletics, and clubs. My role was simply to provide guidance and set up a few meetings. This was their project, and I couldn’t be more proud.”
Looking Ahead
The pilot will run for one year, with William Penn University faculty and Oskaloosa Schools leaders tracking progress, gathering feedback, and analyzing data.
Bryant said the team hopes to present their findings to the Iowa Legislature in the coming years. “We want to pilot it for a year, maybe two or three, just to get more data,” he said. “Eventually, we’ll be able to show that this works.”
McClellan agreed, adding that the long-term vision is bigger than just one district. “The hope is to see an impact for both Oskaloosa and William Penn,” he said. “After that, we want to work with the Iowa Legislature and other school districts to offer a stipend to student teachers statewide.”
Impact Beyond the Classroom
Nelson said the program is about more than easing the financial stress of student teaching. It’s about reshaping the narrative of what it means to enter the profession.
“We want to make sure that future teachers feel valued, that they know their work is important,” she said. “And it’s not just good for William Penn or Oskaloosa Schools, it’s good for the entire community. When students decide to stay here, raise families here, and work here, it strengthens Oskaloosa as a whole.”
McClellan said equity is another key piece. “If someone wants to go into teaching, they shouldn’t have to walk away because they can’t afford to do student teaching,” he said. “Iowa desperately needs teachers right now. This program is about making the profession more equitable and making sure we don’t lose talented people before they even get started.”
As the first group of student teachers receives stipends this fall, the partnership between William Penn and Oskaloosa Schools represents a step toward valuing educators in a new way. “This project shows what can happen when students lead,” Nelson said. “It’s about creating opportunities, valuing teachers, and building a stronger community for the future.”
