So many exciting things are happening in the world of teaching, and our TEACH California partners are at the forefront of making it happen! We recently asked our partners about the innovative activities they are working on in order to recruit more teachers to the profession by providing effective teacher preparation for special education and other education programs. Here are some snippets of what they’re doing to fill California’s classrooms with highly qualified teachers and keep them there…
Over the course of the regular school year and summer, 100 SFUSD high school student interns take dual enrollment Child Development courses. While interning, they take courses at City College of San Francisco and after school courses.
"We hire high school students--who come from historically and systematically marginalized groups--as district employees and pay them biweekly. They gain hands-on experience working with younger children, along with mentorship and support from our staff and UC/CSU transferable units, while also earning a paycheck. We hope that the interns, through these positive, supportive experiences, will discover a passion for working in education that they want to cultivate, as they enter the educator pipeline." - Erin Deis, Transitional Studies Department
Learn more!This new Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Pathways Program is targeted to help adult English Language Learners (ELL) enter the Early Childhood Education (ECE) field. It includes a pre-apprenticeship and an apprenticeship component.
This program is being created because the lack of English skills has been identified as a barrier to entry into the ECE field by many of the adult learners and faculty.
"Our program targets ELL adults. English has been identified as a barrier to entry into the ECE field by many of our adults and by our faculty." - Ivan Pagan, Director of the Salinas Valley Adult Education Consortium
Learn more!The program’s Early Childhood and Special Education Apprenticeship Pilot Program recruits, supports, and retains talented diverse educators from the community. The program officially began in Fall 2021 as a formal partnership between the CCSF Child Development and Family Studies Department and San Francisco Unified School District, thanks to funding from the Strong Workforce Program (SWP). Apprentices begin as an Early Childhood Teaching Assistant, a Transitional Kindergarten Teaching Assistant, or a Special Education Paraprofessional working in Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms.
The programs are designed to infuse Special Education training for all teachers since all teachers work with students with disabilities and need this knowledge and skill set. Apprentices can apply to work 1:1 with a student with disabilities or apply to be a teaching assistant in a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) or Early Childhood classroom. The apprenticeship lasts up to 34 months and has two tracks. Both lead to an Early Childhood Teaching Permit, with an option to earn a Site Supervisor permit, and Track 2 leads to an AS-T Degree in Early Childhood Education, becoming a pathway to teaching TK-12 or Special Education.
"We are partnering with our local school district, SFUSD, to recruit, support and retain talented diverse educators who are passionate about the field of Early Childhood Education and Special Education! Providing training, community, and support from the beginning of our teaching careers is central to retaining our amazing workforce!" - Tracy Burt, Child Development & Family Studies Department
Learn more!TEACH3 is a transfer program and pathway for students seeking a career in education. The Associates of Arts Transfer (AA-T) program was established in 2000 mainly to attract those interested in pathways to a teaching career or other education-related career who, for various reasons, face obstacles due to scheduling. All courses are delivered online asynchronously. Coastline’s AA-T liberal studies elementary education was the first in the state of California to be offered completely online, with the AA-T Child Adolescent Development the third in the State to be offered completely online. The goals for Coastline’s teacher prep students vary. Some are seeking a K-12 teaching credential while others are working towards fulfilling Early Childhood Education (ECE) units or completing fieldwork requirements only. Some students are currently working as paraprofessionals while others may be taking a few courses just to see if they want to pursue a credential or perhaps a career as a paraprofessional. Other participants include homeschooling parents looking to pick up some teaching skills, while some students are working on one of the Certificates in Educational Studies only.
"Personal attention and mentoring make Coastline’s program especially effective. We excel in providing interactive, problem-solving-action learning-based teacher preparation courses. We aren't a "zoom school." We have been online for more than 20 years, so we have lots of experience with online teaching and learning, and did not come to this platform due to COVID. We've always been online, and attract students from all over California." - Dr. Sharon Chard-Yaron, Education Dept. Chair
Learn more!Long Beach City College offers a K-12 Ethnic Studies Summit, which is co-hosted by the college’s Reading and Teacher Preparation Department and the History and Political Science Department. The goal is to prepare future educators with professional development on ethnic studies. Ethnic studies is an upcoming requirement for high school and CSU graduation. The hope is that all Transitional Kindergarten through 12 educators can infuse practices and pedagogy into their classrooms to better address the needs of their students.
"The Ethnic Studies Summit brings education and ethnic studies/history experts together and addresses students in education, history, ethnic studies, and related majors. As there are many majors and pathways into the teaching profession, program staff want to expand the number of future teachers who are informed on key issues in the field." - Megan Kaplinsky, Department Head Reading and Teacher Preparation Department
Learn more!The mission of the Teach Los Angeles Regional Collaborative (Teach LARC) is aligned with the statewide California Community Colleges Teacher Preparation Programs (CCC TPP) to engage in developing successful teacher preparation programs by facilitating access to strategies, tools and resources that can boost the number and diversity of students entering the education field.
The Teach Los Angeles Regional Collaborative is funded in part by the Strong Workforce Program regional projects allocation funding as part of the Teacher Preparation/STEM-CTE project in the Los Angeles region.
"The California Community Colleges Teacher Preparation Programs’ regional communities of practice are at the forefront of a collaborative effort to align education systems with key education partners to expand recruitment and facilitate preparation of a diverse, skilled education workforce, dedicated to all students’ success. As part of the TPP regional communities of practice, Teach LARC supports efforts to align systems, develop infrastructure, and disseminate resources needed for colleges to grow their own teacher preparation programs and emphasizes key partnerships with K12, CSUs, and other Institutions of Higher Education to collaborate in recruiting and preparing a diverse education workforce dedicated to all students’ success." - M. Lea Martinez, Project Director
Learn more!The Community Partnerships for Teacher Pipeline (CPTP) is a 9 million dollar federally funded grant under the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant by the U.S. Department of Education. Three community colleges, namely, Rio Hondo College, Cerritos College, and El Camino College partnered with the Center for Collaborative Education (CCE), a non-profit organization serving as the fiscal agent and dedicated to promoting innovative schools and increasing justice opportunities for all learners.
A huge component of this program is the mentoring activity. Depending on the student's pathway interest, community college students are paired with current teachers from local school districts and community colleges. The mentor's role is to inspire, motivate and support the student through this journey to explore or pursue a teaching career. Students also receive wrap-around student support services, including a dedicated success coach, a mentor who traveled through the pipeline, and a stipend.
The core mission of the CPTP program is to increase the number of teachers of color. With 94% students of color and 74% mentors of color participating in the program in its first year, CPTP hopes to alleviate teacher shortages and diversify the teacher workforce in nearby schools and surrounding communities.
"The program focuses on working with community college students. The CPTP program recognizes the critical role of community colleges in the teacher pipeline and the preparation of a diverse teacher workforce.
Most states require a bachelor's degree to become a public-school teacher, so most recruitment efforts have targeted undergraduates at four-year universities. CSU data shows that "Fifty-five percent of students who earn a teaching credential at CSU begin their path to teaching at a community college."
Another unique quality of this program is its intentionality in diversifying the teacher workforce. An analysis of 2021 federal data conducted by the American Association of Community Colleges revealed that more than 50 percent of community college students identify as people of color. This program is focused on recruiting teachers of color as well as preparing equity-minded teachers." - M. Lea Martinez, Project Director CTE-TPP Grant
Learn more!Since 2008, EnCorps has been recruiting educators from an untapped pool of career-changing and retiring STEM professionals. These individuals bring real-world perspective and experience to the classroom.
"Our highly selective vetting process, professional development, and ongoing support of these educators has resulted in an extraordinary 5-year teacher retention rate of 84% percent in high needs schools. EnCorps educators bring experience and diversity to public school classrooms. They bring an average of 16 years of experience in a STEM field. 69% of Fellows have advanced degrees in STEM and 44% identify as people of color." - Katherine Wilcox, Executive Director
Learn more!Sacramento County Office of Education’s (SCOE) School of Education (SOE) mission is to provide high quality professional development to teachers and leaders in the capital region. The SOE is an innovative agency offering credentialing programs approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). The professional development provided results in inclusive and equitable access for California’s diverse student population. Current credential programs offered by the SOE include: Teacher Intern, Teacher Induction, Preliminary Administrative Services, and Clear Administrative Services.
The Teacher Intern Program offers an intensive two-year credential program to provide second career professionals and recent graduates a non-traditional pathway into teaching. The Intern Program includes practical, relevant coursework for Single Subject Math or Science, Education Specialist Instruction Credential and Multiple Subject candidates.
The Intern Program supports candidates during the mandatory Preservice and as a full-time teacher throughout the two-year Intern Program. Intern teachers are assigned an on-site mentor and receive ongoing guidance and support from SCOE Coaches as well as faculty from the School of Education. All credential classes are carefully sequenced and aligned to the Teacher Preparation Expectations (TPEs) to ensure interns are well prepared for their first teaching assignment. Candidates enter the specific credential cohort and remain together for the two-year duration of the program.
"The structure of coursework and field experiences in the credential program are designed so Candidates receive core knowledge and skills from well qualified instructors, current practitioners in the field, and providers of services. The Intern Program provides a unique opportunity to enter the educational field while earning your credential at the same time." - Tierra Crothers, Director, Teacher Intern Program
Learn more!San Francisco State University has started a Liberal Studies Integrated Teacher Education Program. In addition to having a pathway to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) / Credential in four years, the program utilizes innovative pedagogies in the classes.
New coursework has been developed, which reflects the needs of future teachers, such as interdisciplinary classes on Banned Books, Comic Studies, Pedagogy and Theater of the Oppressed, Social Movements and the Arts, etc.
"In addition to having a pathway to a BA/Credential in four years, we have innovative pedagogies in our classes. Approaching complex topics from an interdisciplinary way gives future teachers an appreciation of disciplines not as isolated content but as part of a toolbox of approaches that can be used to solve problems in society. The use of innovative and effective pedagogies to teach such classes model what students are expected to do in their own future classroom." - Jose Acacio de Barros, Director and Professor of the School of Humanities and Liberal Studies
Learn more!The Saint Mary's Kalmanovitz School of Education is one of the few colleges to offer an undergraduate pipeline to the teaching credential. Students who enroll in this option obtain their BA and their teaching credential as undergraduates. They then have the option to complete an MA in one year. Additionally, there are options for transfer students who want to complete their credential as undergraduates.
The Saint Mary's Kalmanovitz School of Education has a new bilingual authorization certificate program which authorizes teachers to teach in bilingual settings. It is 5 units and is open to both current credential students as well as current credentialed teachers. The program is entirely online, so it's convenient to complete from home.
The Saint Mary's Kalmanovitz School of Education provides multiple pathways to receive various teaching credentials, including multiple subject, single subject, and educational specialist. These pathways also allow for candidates to receive multiple credentials and authorizations as well as their master's degree. Moreover, there are opportunities to obtain credentials at an accelerated pace.
"Our programs provide students with flexibility and a high degree of support throughout their entire experience. We are a student centered campus. Our goal is to support our students and provide the skills and knowledge necessary to go into the field and be successful. We provide students with numerous options. There is a good deal of flexibility to ensure that they are able to obtain the degrees and credentials that will best suit their professional goals." - Ani Moughamian, Graduate Research
Learn more!Alliant International University’s recruitment efforts include the hosting of information sessions and webinars about the Steps to Becoming a Teacher and the annual Jobs and Careers in Education Fair for credentialed teachers and those looking to pursue a career in education. The university partners with districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to collaborate on building sustainable pipelines of teachers.
Alliant International University provides a Pathway to Induction (to clear one’s credential) for all teacher candidates beginning in the first term of their preliminary credential program with the Professional Learning and Practice course. This Pathway is created as an online portfolio allowing teacher candidates to collect various examples of competency-based artifacts, goal-setting examples from clinical practice, evaluation forms, assessments, and surveys. This compilation is standards-aligned in preparation for their future induction program.
Various staff members work closely with the teacher candidates, including the Academic Advisor. The Academic Advisor helps the teacher candidate follow a specific Master Plan of Study, registering them into the approved courses within the appropriate scope and sequence of courses. The Academic Advisor also serves as the first point of contact for teacher candidates should they have any questions regarding their program while enrolled.
"Our program aligns with California state requirements preparing candidates to obtain credentials through completing standards-aligned coursework and fieldwork and demonstrating knowledge through practice application. In addition, our teacher candidates become reflective and innovative practitioners through extensive support and mentoring." - Johnna Sangster, MBA AVP, Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives
Learn more!This program integrates educational technology into the coursework. For example, two educational technology courses bookend the graduate credential programs. The first course is offered at the beginning of the credential program, and the second course is offered at the end of the program when candidates are student teaching and integrating the newly learned technologies into their classrooms. During COVID-19, teacher candidates in this course co-facilitated virtual learning sessions for Transitional Kindergarten through 12th grade community teachers to learn emerging technologies as they shifted to online classrooms.
"In particular, we have highlighted the educational technology component in our teacher prep programs and how this has prepared students for teaching in the Covid era. Educational technology is an integral component of students’ studies during the teacher credential program. Throughout the undergraduate and graduate teacher preparation coursework, candidates are consistently utilizing technology tools to enhance their university courses and fieldwork. Along their path to becoming a teacher, candidates develop unique Digital Portfolios/Professional Websites to showcase their best work and accomplishments. These sites can also be referenced during job interviews and used as a resource for their own classrooms." - Allyse Rudolph, M.A., Associate Director, Graduate Admissions
Learn more!The Supporting Inclusive Practices project provides statewide technical assistance to educational communities in their pursuit of inclusive and equitable systems. Examples of activities include an SIP Inclusion Conference, in which participants learned from disability rights advocates and a diverse selection of speakers/practitioners on inclusion related topics including culture, policy, practice, and shared leadership. Additionally, SIP provides no-cost courses for educators on the topic of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), funded by the California Department of Education.
"Take our courses to dive into resources, create a staff wide course study, go at your own pace, and self-check your knowledge along the way. You will have the option to select a course from the UDL course list. Upon registration, you will have one year to complete the course. Each course is designed to take approximately 30 hours to complete, with the option to earn graduate credits." - Kevin Schaefer, Director of Equity and Inclusive Practices for the El Dorado SELPAs
Learn more!This unique and innovative combined Master and Credential Program meets all state requirements for becoming a general education (Multiple or Single Subject) and teacher by pursuing dual credential recommendations simultaneously. The department adopted this dual credential model ahead of the CTC implementation of the updated SPED standards. By fusing general education and special education credential requirements, candidates no longer need to take separate but parallel courses for each credential. Instead, candidates will leave the program with the option of one or both credentials and a Master's in Education in Curriculum and Instruction.
"Candidates completing our program will leave prepared to support all learners. Whether they decide to pursue one or two credentials, all candidates will have received the preparation to support learners at all levels - Multiple Subject, Single Subject, or Education Specialist." - Sergio Rodriguez, Academic Programs Manager, DLT
Learn more!