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Austin Peay College of Education Emphasizes Collaboration During Spring Partnership Meeting

The power of partnerships is more than a talking point for Prentice Chandler, Ph.D., dean of the Eriksson College of Education at Austin Peay State University. These partnerships are elevated, celebrated, and taken seriously, and this attitude was fully apparent as the College of Education hosted its semiannual Partnership Advisory Council Meeting on February 15. 
 
“These two meetings that we have each year are some of the most important work in the college,” Chandler said. “We can do just about anything if we work together.” 

University-district partnerships are essential and have resulted in some of the college’s nationally recognized programs, including the Grow Your Own Teacher Residency. The Partnership Advisory Council is a collaborative effort that brings together Austin Peay faculty and staff with school district leaders and stakeholders from across Tennessee. These meetings allow the college to share updates on its programs and initiatives and gather feedback from partners to help guide improvements.  

Prepared To Teach Launches Webinar Series on Building Residencies

In their work to prepare aspiring teachers with pathways to paid residencies, Prepared To Teach is offering a six-part webinar series titled “Foundations to Futures” to support building new residencies. Foundations to Futures is a free, exploratory webinar series on residencies that will culminate in an invitation to join the Prepared to Teach Community of Practice to launch residencies.

The series will launch on January 29, 2024, with its first webinar, “Foundations for a Strong Residency” which will focus on the potential teacher residencies have to fundamentally transform both how individuals enter the profession and how students and teachers experience schooling. This webinar will share the following:

  • A vision for residencies as a unique approach to preparation—and why we need them today,
  • How preparation programs and school/district partnerships form the backbone of a strong residency,
  • The basics of co-constructing residency designs,
  • And tools and resources—all Creative Commons Licensed—for you to use in your local context.

College of Education and Health Professions Team Earns Grant to Start Razorback STARS Project

College of Education and Health Professions faculty and Decatur School District officials met recently to discuss their new partnership. From left, Matt Boeving, Steve Watkins, Christy Smith, Jennifer Beasley, Christine Ralston, Kevin Matthews, and Ederlee Gomez.

A faculty team in the College of Education and Health Professions was awarded a $525,013 Teacher Quality Partnership grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will help produce a pipeline of teachers in small, rural Northwest Arkansas schools.

The team is based in the college’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, which prepares students for various careers in education. The grant team is led by Christine Ralston, a teaching associate professor, who is working closely with co-principal investigators Jennifer Beasley, Vicki Collet, and Christy Smith.

Collet will provide support for mentoring, and Smith will provide support for co-teaching, which are both pivotal to the Razorback STARS project.

K-State College of Education, Hutchinson Community College Develop Teacher Pathway Program for Area Students

Kansas State University’s College of Education and Hutchinson Community College have begun a partnership that paves a seamless pathway for area students to earn a bachelor’s degree in education online while remaining in their home communities.

This pathway program begins in high school, where students chart their journeys to becoming teachers and take dual credit courses through Hutchinson Community College. As they progress through the community college phase, students will be provided with comprehensive guidance to ensure a smooth transition to K-State Online and field experiences in their local schools. 

The innovative online platform allows aspiring educators — both traditional and non-traditional students — to balance their studies with other commitments while benefiting from the expertise of distinguished faculty members and advanced educational resources.

Alliant University and San Diego Unified Partner Through TEACH-LEAD Program

Alliant International University and San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) have partnered through SDUSD’s TEACH-LEAD program in order to support aspiring teachers on their educational journey. With both institutions dedicated to equity in education, representation in the classroom, and providing the support that teachers need both in education and practice, the partnership was a natural step toward shared impact.

TEACH-LEAD San Diego (TLSD) is San Diego Unified’s latest endeavor focused on eliminating barriers that hold future educators back from pursuing their goals. The new program offers both financial and personalized pathway resources to individuals beginning or continuing their journey towards a career as a teacher. TEACH-LEAD San Diego is the district’s new “grow your own” teacher pipeline program, dedicated to supporting individuals in becoming teachers in their local communities.

A New High-touch, Low-tech Approach to Summer Learning is Increasing Student engagement in West Philadelphia

A member of a classroom team works with a group of students in the summer program at Henry C. Lea Elementary in West Philadelphia. The format of the Netter Center and Penn GSE collaboration was transformed this year to better individualize it for students. (Photos by Joe McFetridge)

This article was originally published by Penn GSE News.

For the last six weeks, Henry C. Lea Elementary in West Philadelphia has been humming with excitement and energy as students joyfully engage with interesting, colorful educational content. The activity is part of a joint pilot led by the Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships and Penn GSE, which has kids from kindergarten to third grade engrossed, immersed, and learning.

“The last two years [gave] us a lot of information about what works and what doesn’t. Really listening to the teachers and being creative about how instructional teams could be built for closer support of kids were really at the heart of this new model,” said Caroline Watts, a senior lecturer, and director of Penn GSE’s Office of School and Community Engagement (OSCE).

Although this is the third summer of the Netter Center and Penn GSE collaboration, the program is being considered a pilot. That’s because this year, the learning model was radically altered. Instead of 45-minute blocks modeled to be like regular classes, students now cycle through stations within the classroom and work through smaller, more gamified tasks.

WE CARE+Wellness Program to Support Arkansas Teacher Corps Fellows

David D. Christian, associate professor of counselor education and supervision in the College of Education and Health Professions, works with two Arkansas Teacher Corps fellows.

This article was originally published by the University of Arkansas

An interdisciplinary faculty team has developed a wellness program for Arkansas Teacher Corps fellows with funds from a College of Education and Health Professions WE CARE grant.

WE CARE, an acronym for Wellness and Education Commitment to Arkansas Excellence, advances three priorities centered on expanding impactful research, engaging in service to Arkansas, and fostering a caring culture.

Arkansas Teacher Corps is a partnership between the College of Education and Health Professions, the Walton Family Foundation, the Arkansas Department of Education, and participating Arkansas public school districts to recruit, train, license , and support teachers across the state. The Arkansas Teacher Corps provides an accelerated path to teaching at a time when many Arkansas schools face severe teacher shortages.

Jackson State and Jackson Public Schools Launch Jackson Middle College Program

This article was originally published by Jackson State University.

Jackson State University (JSU) and Jackson Public School District (JPS) are hosting an open house and signing day for the inaugural cohort of the Jackson Middle College (JMC) on Monday, August 7, 2023, at 6 pm in the JSU College of Science, Engineering, and Technology atrium. The first cohort, composed of 17 high school juniors and seniors, will specialize in mathematics education to address the need for math teachers and educators in JPS. 

“I am extremely excited about this collaboration between Jackson State University and Jackson Public School District. Mathematics teachers are a critical need nationwide, and I am confident that Jackson Middle College will become the preferred ‘grow your own’ model in school districts across the nation for ensuring a sustainable teaching force in critical needs content areas,” said Tony Latiker, Ed.D., associate dean of accreditation and assessment in JSU’s College of Education & Human Development.

New Summer Academy Will Nurture the “Genius, Joy, and Love” of Future Black Educators

This article was originally published by the University of Pittsburgh College of Education.

Students from Pittsburgh Public Schools will benefit from the new initiative

The University of Pittsburgh School of Education is launching a paid summer academy for high school seniors as part of a new initiative to bring more Black teachers to Pittsburgh Public Schools. The academy will complement The Pittsburgh Promise’s Advancing Educators of Color (AEC) Scholarship, which seeks to add 35 Black educators to the district over seven years. 

“The importance of Black educators cannot be overstated,” says Valerie Kinloch, Professor and Renée and Richard Goldman Endowed Dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Education. “However, statewide, Black educators comprise less than 4% of the teacher population in K-12 public and charter schools. Our new summer academy program will ensure that our students not only get to college but are supported along the way.”

Georgia Power Foundation Grant to UNG Boosts Teacher Prep

The Georgia Power Foundation Inc. has awarded UNG a $100,000 grant for its partnerships with the Hall County and Gainesville school systems to grow and diversify the teacher pipeline. Glennis Barnes, Gainesville area manager for Georgia Power, presented the check to Lauren Johnson, assistant dean of UNG’s College of Education; Sheri Hardee, dean of the College of Education; Steven Smith, vice president of regional campuses; and some of UNG’s College of Education students.

The University of North Georgia’s (UNG) Grow-Your-Own partnerships with Hall County Schools and Gainesville City Schools to expand and diversify the teacher pipeline have received a sizable infusion of funding to support these future educators.

The grant was funded by the Georgia Power Foundation’s Teachers for Georgia signature program — a program established to recruit and retain more male educators of color throughout Georgia.

“Georgia Power Foundation’s investment will ensure that students will have the necessary tools at their disposal to successfully complete their degree in education through the Grow-Your-Own program,” Glennis Barnes, Gainesville area manager for Georgia Power, said. “Since the launch of Teachers for Georgia in 2020, the Foundation has invested over $1 million to support programs and educational institutions working toward this cause here in North Georgia and across the state.”

The Realizing Inspiring and Successful Educators Undergraduate Program (RISE UP) launched in Fall 2017 with Hall County Schools supports heritage Spanish-speaking graduates of Hall high schools through UNG’s teacher education programs. The school district covers students’ tuition, fees, and assessment costs while UNG provides participants targeted advising and opportunities for peer support. Students serve as paraprofessionals within the school district while they are students at UNG and have a teaching job upon graduation.

Teacher Mentorship Collaborative Offers Support, Resources to New Teachers

This article was originally published by the University of Houston — Clear Lake Newsroom

Teaching is a tough job. So tough that the Texas Associate of School Boards reports that about half public school teachers nationally have seriously considered leaving the profession within their first five years of teaching. Although many teachers cite low pay and underfunding as a main source of frustration, TASB says that about 62% consider a different profession because as teachers, they feel undervalued and unsupported.

University of Houston-Clear Lake professors in the College of Education have a plan to address the shortage of teachers in local school districts. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, they came up with the idea to create a mentoring collaborative with the aim of setting up a progressive, responsive approach to mentoring new teachers.

“We have ideals and values that we want to embrace through this collaborative, such as communication and continuity,” said Associate Professor of Special Education Elizabeth Beavers. “We were experimenting with what we wanted mentoring to look like. From the beginning, we wanted to do something so students could stay connected with faculty after leaving.”

WKU Hosts First Teacher Apprenticeship Summit

On June 22, 2023, over 120 individuals from Kentucky school districts, community colleges, universities, and government agencies gathered on WKU’s campus to discuss teacher apprentice programs and how they can be implemented to create a pipeline of educators returning to teach in their home districts. 

The Summit started with opening remarks from Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, WKU President Timothy C. Caboni, and CEBS Dean Corinne Murphy. Coleman discussed the importance of apprentice programs to address the teacher shortage because it allows students to “learn and earn at the same time.” Caboni emphasized the prominence of teachers to WKU, as the university started as a Normal School in 1906. Murphy highlighted how vital it is to show high school students the possibility of a career in education as a viable one and one with upward mobility.

IUP Receives $1.19 Million to Address Need for STEM High School Teachers

Indiana University of Pennsylvania has been selected to receive $1.19 million from the National Science Foundation through the Noyce Scholarships and Stipends program to help address the critical need for effective Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teachers in Pennsylvania’s high schools.

Holly Travis, dean’s associate for Educator Preparation in the College of Education and Communications and professor of Biology, is the principal investigator for the multi-year project, which includes collaboration with 12 area school districts and two community colleges.

The project, IUP Crimson Hawks Advance and Retain Great Educators (IUP-CHARGE), will begin in May and continue through April 2028.

APSU Eriksson College of Education to Host Teacher Shortage Conference

Local teacher Malachi Johnson was one of APSU’s first Grow Your Own graduates

The Austin Peay State University Eriksson College of Education is focused on finding new ways to address the need for licensed teachers in local and regional school districts. The college’s efforts, including the Grow Your Own initiative, garnered attention from White House officials in 2022. Next month, the College of Education will share successes and lessons from the past few years during the inaugural Virtual Conference on Teacher Shortage.

“With many school districts struggling to find qualified teachers, we have found the Grow Your Own model to be a new pipeline,” said Lisa Barron, APSU director of teacher education and partnerships. “Through this conference, we hope to present this model to school districts across the state and show them how they can partner with Austin Peay to train more teachers for their schools.”

Innovative Tennessee Teacher Prep Program Aims to Prepare a New Breed of Educators

This article originally appeared on reimaginED, the policy and public affairs communications platform for Step Up For Students and is reprinted with permission.

The Early Learning Residency Program at Austin Peay University proved to be what recent graduate Malachi Johnson was looking for: a college education and a guaranteed job.

In her 20s, Heather Fracker set her sights on becoming a respiratory therapist. But as John Lennon observed, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”

Fast forward two decades, and Fracker, a 43-year-old single mom to two middle schoolers, is pursuing a new dream. In two years, she will be a fully credentialed elementary school teacher thanks to an accelerated program that began in her hometown.