Dear JET Community and Colleagues, 

JET is thrilled to announce its new funding in the FY23 Massachusetts State Budget for $350,000. 

We are very grateful to Senator Patricia Jehlen for her ongoing sponsorship in the state Senate and to Representative Sean Garballey in the state House of Representatives. We further thank all the state legislators who supported JET throughout the budget process, in particular Senator Michael Rodrigues and Representative Aaron Michlewitz, co-chairs of the Budget Conference Committee. They recognize JET’s unique and important work in promoting equity through educator diversity and workforce development. 

A HUGE THANK YOU to our JET community of scholars, mentors and district partners, who let their state legislators know how JET benefits them and their work. This new state allocation will enable JET to expand its urban school district partnerships and mentor more paraeducators who want to earn their bachelor’s degrees and teacher licensure to become the diverse teachers needed in their urban school districts where racial and cultural disparities between students and teachers are greatest. Urban paraeducators reflect the diversity of their students more than any other group of educators in the Commonwealth. 

JET ‘s recruitment efforts in its 11 partner school districts this spring have yielded a robust new cohort of 38 paraeducators who will begin their journey to teaching in September. This new cohort joins 109 JET scholars who have persisted on their journey, including those who are now college graduates and teaching in their home school districts. Our district partners recognize JET’s crucial role in building community teacher pipelines that generate diverse, committed teachers. 

JET’s goal is to work with as many urban school districts as possible and mentor their paraprofessionals through degree completion and teacher licensure. This new state funding brings us closer to accomplishing this goal. 

With gratitude,