By Zoe Hughes Multi-Media Reporter
For aspiring teachers in Amarillo, the path from community college to the classroom can take place in just one additional year through Texas Tech University’s TechTeach
2+1 program.
The program is a partnership between Texas Tech, Amarillo College, and Amarillo Independent School District that allows students who have completed the first two years of their education at a community college to complete their bachelor’s degree and teacher certification through Texas Tech in one calendar year. The program combines online coursework with hands-on clinical experience in local schools.
According to Shalee Gilter, an instructor and Site Coordinator for the TechTeach 2+1 program the TechTeach 2+1 program is currently in its seventh year and has produced more than 50 teachers who now work in Amarillo ISD.
“Texas Tech 2+1 is an intense one-year program where students who have earned their associate’s degree from Amarillo College can continue with Texas Tech for one full year to earn their bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate,”
Glitter said.
A major component of the program is the amount of resident teachers spend in the schools. Texas Tech describes TechTeach Across Texas as a hands-on teacher preparation program in which resident teachers work with local districts and receive support from site coordinators and
mentor teachers.
Christina Harris, a member of the 2026-2027 cohort, said being in the classroom from the beginning has helped her feel more prepared for student teaching and eventually having a classroom of her own.
“I love how hands-on the 2+1 program is,” Harris said. “We have been in the classroom since day one and have learned everything from setting up a classroom to understanding what professional development looks like before students arrive. It has made student teaching feel much more immersive, and I feel better prepared to run my own classroom.”
For Sierra Schaben, another student teacher in the program, the opportunity to observe and practice classroom procedures has been particularly valuable.
“We get to see how teachers establish procedures and expectations before diving into the content, which is something many other programs don’t provide,” Schaben said.
“We also get more hands-on teaching experience, feedback and coaching. The 2+1 program gives us so much preparation for the time when we have our
own classrooms.”
The program’s accelerated schedule also requires students to balance a demanding college workload with daily classroom responsibilities.
Zoe Hughes, a member of the 2026-2027 cohort, said the experience has been challenging but rewarding.
“Taking 18 hours of classes while student teaching every day is demanding, but the experience has already been incredibly rewarding,” Hughes said.
“I’ve built meaningful relationships with my site coordinator, mentor teacher, students and other educators, and I’m grateful to be part of a program that gives future teachers so much real classroom experience before they have a classroom of their own.”
The fast-track model is designed to allow eligible students to remain in their communities while completing their upper-level coursework and student teaching. Amarillo College states that students in the Amarillo program are recruited for Amarillo ISD and are guaranteed a teaching job in
the district.
For students currently moving through the program, the experience provides an opportunity to learn the responsibilities of teaching while still having the guidance of mentor teachers, site coordinators and fellow resident teachers.
The result is a year that is intensive both academically and professionally, giving future teachers the opportunity to spend significant time in the classroom before they begin.
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