Klein, TX - While most high school seniors spend the fall semester finishing classes, Elise Driver spent hers in the classroom teaching — all while completing the final requirements for both her high school diploma and an Associate of Arts degree.
Klein Collins senior Elise Driver is among the first students in Klein ISD’s Future Teacher College Program to reach the program’s culminating milestone: a paid teaching internship while still in high school. Her story is the most recent success of the Klein ISD Future Teacher College Program.
Five days a week, the Klein Collins senior reported to Kreinhop Elementary as a paid teaching intern, working alongside classroom teachers, supporting students, and learning the craft of instruction from the inside out. While her peers were completing their classes in traditional settings, Driver was completing the kind of professional experience that most education majors don't encounter until their third year of college.
She got paid for it. She earned credit for it. And this spring, she will walk across the graduation stage with not just a high school diploma, but an Associate of Arts degree already in hand.
Driver represents the first wave of students reaching the program’s culminating internship experience. The Future Teacher College Program is intentionally designed so that students build toward this milestone through four years of coursework, mentorship, and classroom experience.
“This program has given me the opportunity to see the ins and outs of teaching and helped me feel confident that this is what I want to do with my life,” Elise said. “I love getting to work with students every day, and I’ve learned so many effective teaching methods along the way. Taking classes about student development has also prepared me for my future classroom, and graduating with my associate degree means I hope to enter the profession sooner and finish college in just two more years.”
Beyond Elise’s own enthusiasm, her teacher, Ms. Brianna Merchant, believes the program provides a critical foundation for the next generation of educators.
“I am incredibly proud of Elise and the commitment she has shown to pursuing a career in education,” Ms. Merchant said. “Through the Klein ISD Future Teacher College Program, she has had the opportunity to learn not only the fundamentals behind teaching but also the chance to gain real classroom experience that will prepare her for the future. Students like Elise remind us why programs like this matter- they are developing the skills, passion, and confidence needed to become the next generation of great teachers. And that is an invaluable opportunity for students who truly want to make a difference in the lives of others.”
What is the Future Teacher College Program?
The Future Teacher College Program at Klein Collins High School is not a club or a career exploration class. It is a full four-year academic program designed to produce the next generation of teachers, starting in 9th grade.
Students in the program earn a high school diploma under the Distinguished Plan, complete Dual Credit coursework with Lone Star College, graduate with an Associate of Arts degree before leaving high school, and earn the Education Aide I industry certification recognized across Texas. Along the way, they get real teaching experience in Klein ISD classrooms through mentorships, work-based learning placements, and, for seniors, paid internships.
The program costs families approximately $2,600 in college fees through senior year. Two years of in-state public university tuition, room, and board typically run $30,000 or more. Klein ISD’s program saves families almost $28,000. Students who complete this program arrive at their four-year university with two years already done.
That is not extra credit. That is a head start most college students never get.
From the Classroom to the Front of the Room
For Driver, the path to a career in education began with a simple realization: she loved being around kids and was good at helping them understand things. The Future Teacher College Program gave that instinct a structure.
In the sophomore year, students in the Future Teacher College Program study child development and the foundations of learning. They move into a field-based instructional practicum in their junior year, where they work alongside Klein ISD teachers and support elementary students several days each week under the guidance of educator mentors at Bernshausen Elementary.
At the same time, students complete Dual Credit core academic courses through Lone Star College, allowing them to earn college credits toward an Associate of Arts degree while still in high school.
By senior year, students enter the capstone phase of the program, taking advanced education courses while participating in a paid teaching internship. In this placement, they assist with instruction, prepare classroom materials, support small-group learning, and gain firsthand experience in the daily work of educators.
Driver completed her internship at Kreinhop Elementary, applying the skills she developed throughout the program’s mentorship and clinical teaching experiences. Several students are currently progressing through the mentorship and classroom placement phases and will move into paid internships during their senior year.
On March 4, Driver took another step toward her future at Klein ISD’s Teacher Signing Day. The event traditionally recognizes college seniors completing their teacher residency in Klein ISD classrooms and committing to begin their careers in the district.
Driver stood out as the only high school student participating in the ceremony.
As a member of the Klein ISD Future Teacher College Program, she signed a Letter of Intent committing to return to Klein ISD as a resident teacher after completing her bachelor’s degree at Sam Houston State University.
Driver was also awarded a $6,000 scholarship from Chesmar Homes to support her studies as she continues her journey toward becoming a Klein ISD educator.
“Our goal has always been to grow our own teachers - students who understand our community because they grew up in these schools,” Klein ISD CTE Director Deborah Bronner-Westerduin said. “Elise represents exactly what this program is designed to do: help passionate students begin their journey into the teaching profession while they are still in high school.”
Why This Matters Right Now
Programs like the Future Teacher College Program exist precisely because research shows the most effective way to build a teaching workforce is to start early, build locally, and create clear pathways into the profession.
Studies suggest that students who take education-focused courses in high school are nearly 50 percent more likely to pursue teaching as a career. And more than 60 percent of teachers ultimately work within 20 miles of their high school.
Klein ISD is building a teaching pipeline, student by student, class by class, starting at Klein Collins.
Could This Be You?
The Future Teacher College Program is not just for students who have known since second grade that they want to teach. It is for high-achieving, curious students who are ready for a challenge that matters. Students who are looking for a high school experience that builds toward something real.
The program requires completing Algebra I by 8th grade and a commitment to transfer to Klein Collins if you do not already attend Klein Collins. In exchange, you get four years of purposeful education, real classroom experience, an associate degree, scholarships, mentorship, a community of future educators, and a potential path back to the district that shaped you.
Learn more about the Klein ISD Future Teacher College Program at https://www.kleinisd.net/o/kisd/page/future-teacher.