Williamson County, Texas

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the second fastest growing population of adults 65 and older and the fastest growing population of adults 55 to 64 are in the Central Texas region.

The Aging Services Council of Central Texas reports that by 2040 more than half a million (517,772) adults ages 65 and older will live in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties and comprise nearly one-fifth (18 percent) of the Central Texas population.

Many seniors already do or will rely on adult caregivers, often family members.

AGE of Central Texas, a non-profit organization, operates licensed, non-residential activity and health service centers for seniors, one in Round Rock and one in Austin.

Called Thrive Social and Wellness Centers, these facilities provide daytime care for older adults with physical or cognitive needs, with 90 percent of them suffering from memory loss or dementia.

These centers also provide caregivers who are still in the workforce a place that is safe, engaging and active for their senior loved ones, and they provide respite for other caregivers.

Learn how to use the new voting machines. For all voting information, log onto http://www.wilco.org/Departments/Elections

The Williamson County commissioners approved purchasing new voting machines for $4.41 million during their April 30 meeting.

The new machines move away from paperless machines to a system in which voters print their ballots on one machine and walk to a second machine that will tabulate results. (via Source: Williamson County/Community Impact Newspaper)

Story by Ali Linan, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2019 

WGU Offers Scholarships to Address Teacher Shortage

(October, 2019) – With the nationwide teacher shortage projected to nearly double in less than a decade, Western Governors University (WGU) hopes to help more prospective teachers find their passion in the classroom with the $2,500 Become a Teacher Scholarship.

According to the Economic Policy Institution, the U.S. teacher shortage could reach 200,000 by 2025, up from 110,000 in 2018. WGU’s innovative approach to higher education is a highly effective way for paraprofessionals, career changers, stay-at-home parents, and others looking to become full-time teachers to fit a teacher licensure program into their lives.

Competency-based, nonprofit WGU offers 16 programs that lead to teacher licensure: 10 bachelor’s degrees, five master’s degrees, and one post-baccalaureate certification. Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and recognized in all 50 states, the WGU Teachers College is the nation’s top producer of STEM teachers and an active partner of school districts and states around the country looking to increase the number of qualified educators. The Become a Teacher Scholarship will help more aspiring teachers earn their license and answer the call of the classroom.

The scholarship, worth up to $2,500 per student, launched this week and will accept applications through Dec. 31, 2019. Recipients will be awarded $625 per six-month term—renewable up to four terms—toward any program leading to a teacher certification. That comes out to more than 15 percent off WGU’s already-low tuition.

To learn more or to apply, visit the http://tinyurl.com/yxftkotg.

SALT LAKE CITY (October 2, 2019) – As part of an ongoing strategy to help fill the United States’ critical shortage of cybersecurity professionals, competency-based, nonprofit Western Governors University (WGU) is offering eligible new students a scholarship that could reduce their tuition by more than one-third.

The WGU Cybersecurity Scholarship, worth up to $5,000 per student, launched this week in recognition of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. New WGU students enrolling in the B.S. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance or M.S. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance program are eligible to apply through Dec. 31, 2019. Recipients will be awarded $1,250 per six-month term—renewable up to four terms—toward those programs. Already-low tuition is about $3,500 per term.

According to CyberSeek, an initiative funded by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), the U.S. is facing a growing shortfall of cybersecurity