Lone Star College's top teacher-training official has been tapped for a national fellowship aimed at getting more certified educators into classrooms, a pipeline that feeds directly into Woodlands-area schools facing a statewide shortage.
Rebecca Saiz, Ed.D., executive director of LSC's Educator Preparation Program, was named to the 11th cohort of the Impact Academy fellowship run by Deans for Impact, a national nonprofit. The organization published the cohort list July 14, and LSC announced Saiz's selection Aug. 5.
Saiz is one of 24 leaders chosen from public and private universities, community colleges, school districts and alternative certification programs nationwide.
"Being part of Deans for Impact means joining a community of leaders who are all working toward the same goal: preparing outstanding teachers," Saiz said in the announcement. She said she hopes to bring back strategies and partnerships that strengthen LSC's program and benefit local students.
The local stakes
The fellowship matters here because LSC's Educator Preparation Program trains teachers who enter Woodlands-area classrooms. The program offers two pathways: a Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education and Teaching, which launches fall 2026 at LSC-Atascocita Center and LSC-Creekside Center with 50-student cohorts at each site, and an Alternative Teacher Certification Program for people who already hold a bachelor's degree.
Statewide, the share of uncertified teachers more than tripled between the 2019-20 and 2024-25 school years, jumping from 3.8% to 12%, according to the Learning Policy Institute. That translates to 42,103 uncertified teachers across Texas. Since 2022-23, uncertified new hires each year have outnumbered new hires with standard certificates by more than two to one.
Texas House Bill 2, passed in 2025, requires all teachers in foundational subjects to hold certification by 2027-28 and directs more than $400 million annually toward teacher recruitment, preparation and mentoring.
Closer to home, Conroe ISD's board approved its 2026-27 compensation plan on June 16 without across-the-board raises, offering a $400 raise to certified teachers at three years of experience and $2,500 at five years, according to Community Impact. That structure puts a premium on certification for teachers entering the workforce.
What the fellowship involves
During the 2026-27 school year, Saiz will participate in monthly cohort-based sessions, receive one-on-one coaching from veteran education leaders and join peer consultancies focused on what Deans for Impact calls "adaptive challenges" in teacher preparation. The nonprofit's network now includes nearly 200 deans and executive-level leaders nationwide.
Deans for Impact CEO Valerie Sakimura said the cohort "stands out for their willingness to engage in complexity with deep care for students, their learning and their futures."
When LSC announced the BAS program in February, Saiz framed the work in local terms: "By strengthening the pipeline of qualified teachers, Lone Star College System is strengthening the future of the communities we serve."
Residents interested in LSC's teacher-certification pathways can contact [email protected] or 281-312-1716 for the bachelor's program, or [email protected] for the alternative certification track.
