UO Ducks RISE: $10M Push to Retain Oregon Teachers

EUGENE, Ore. — The University of Oregon rolled out Ducks RISE this year, a six-month intensive cohort program designed to boost teacher recruitment and retention across Oregon's public schools. Backed by a $10 million grant from the Strada Education Foundation's Beyond Completion Challenge — matched dollar-for-dollar by UO — the initiative focuses on students of color and low-income undergraduates, providing hybrid career classes, professional workshops, coaching, mentoring, tailored networking and access to internships, leadership and research opportunities.

Oregon faces acute teacher shortages, with rural districts like those in Eastern Oregon and coastal communities hit hardest amid rising retirements and post-pandemic burnout. Ducks RISE builds on UO's educator preparation strengths, including its 4+1 teacher pathway in the Educational Foundations program, which integrates hands-on classroom experience and donor-funded scholarships to fast-track graduates into K-12 roles. Program funds support direct student aid and administrative expansion, aiming to diversify the workforce in a state where over 40% of teachers leave within five years, per state education data.

UO administrators, partnering with the Taskforce on Higher Education and Opportunity, launched Ducks RISE as part of the Beyond Completion Challenge's second phase, which wrapped in 2024 but seeded lasting programs. Early cohorts in Eugene have connected participants with placements in Lane County schools, addressing local needs like bilingual educators for growing Latino student populations. Officials say the model could scale statewide, complementing efforts like the Higher Education Coordinating Commission's workforce investments.