Teacher Prep and Innovation at CU Denver’sSchool of Education and Human Development
January 23, 2020
Presented to the Joint Education Committee of the CO House and Senate
By Dean Rebecca Kantor
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Our current “Residency Model”Our current “Residency Model”
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➧ Emerged in 1993 during a time of education renewal in the U.S.
➧ A major shift from traditional teacher prep
➧ National leadership in this kind of approach
What are our commitments in aresidency approach?What are our commitments in aresidency approach?
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➧A deep partnership between our School of Education and HumanDevelopment (SEHD) and districts/schools with 4 goals:
High quality collaborative teacher preparation
Ongoing development of practicing teachers
Collaborative research/ innovation on teaching and learning
Increased P-12 student achievement
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Core elements and accountabilityCore elements and accountability
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➧Partner schools are intentionally prepared for teacher candidates
➧Preparation is shared responsibility between district and SEHD
➧Mentor teachers are carefully chosen and supported
➧Early field experiences, tied to course learning, begin semester one
➧All programs culminate in a final full-year residency
➧Gradual release of responsibility to the candidate using co-teaching
➧Embedded candidate performance assessments
➧Ongoing program evaluation/continuous improvement
ElementsElements
AccountabilityAccountability
Investments in residency approachInvestments in residency approach
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SEHD places a University Site Professor in each School to support thepartnership and a cohort of teacher candidates
School/district commits a Site Coordinator-- a teacher leader, instructionalcoach, or AP to work alongside the site professor
Support and preparation for the Mentor Teachers
The SEHD Office of Partnerships supports the network and places students
A robust Collaborative Council meets 4 days across the year- includes the siteprofessors, site coordinators, and other teacher education faculty to support:
➧communication/coordination
➧professional learning
➧co-construction of teacher prep curriculum
Created new pathways in 2013Created new pathways in 2013
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➧Need for workforce diversity (race, ethnicity, age, gender, workexperience, talent)
➧Access and affordability issues
➧Emerging teacher shortages
➧Emerging drop in enrollment
In response to changing dynamics in field and in ColoradoIn response to changing dynamics in field and in Colorado
Current multiple pathways intoteaching at CU DenverCurrent multiple pathways intoteaching at CU Denver
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Supports intention to teach when it emergesSupports intention to teach when it emerges
For explorers: concurrent enrollmentFor explorers: concurrent enrollment
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P-Teach, an example of a district-initiated pathway into education (St. Vrain)
Purposes of P-Teach:
Explore teaching as a profession
Build status of teaching
Offer early experiences/apprenticeships in classrooms
Give credit up to 7 university courses prior to graduation (21 credits)
University role in explorer pathwayUniversity role in explorer pathway
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➧Identify/prepare/support the high school teacher as course instructor
➧Provide high touch support for processes like registration
➧Design campus visits to build “college-going story”
➧Work on transferability at other IHEs
Explorers pathway successExplorers pathway success
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➧Concurrent Enrollment at St. Vrain:
Year 2018: 32 Students in 2 courses
Year 2019: 159 Students in 5 courses
➧ Multilingual, students of color, first-generation students range
from 51% - 78% in different courses
➧ Expanded to Cherry Creek
For early deciders:undergraduate BA in EDHD pathwayFor early deciders:undergraduate BA in EDHD pathway
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➧4-year program allows for extended time to prepare
➧3 years of clinical experience + final full-year residency
➧Work-study dollars for districts to hire students as educator interns
➧Opened door for grow-your-own and concurrent enrollment
Success of early decider pathwaySuccess of early decider pathway
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For mind-changers: M.A. in teachingFor mind-changers: M.A. in teaching
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Graduate Program for those holding a BA in different fieldsGraduate Program for those holding a BA in different fields
➧12-18 months for a license and a Masters degree
➧Declining enrollment over time which reflects access issues and
availability of other pathway options
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50
100
150
200
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
MAT Licensure Completers
For career changers and thosere-entering the workforceFor career changers and thosere-entering the workforce
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ASPIRE: Alternative licensure for quick-entryASPIRE: Alternative licensure for quick-entry
➧First IHE to be approved by CDE as vendor for Alt Licensure
➧Candidates secure a position as teacher of record/we providea year of preparation and support
➧Addresses the teacher shortage and taps into a broaderdiversity of students and experience
Advanced Degrees: 26% of candidates have advanced degrees including:Doctorates-8; JD: 1, Masters-78
Race: White – 74%; Latino or Hispanic – 13% Black – 5%
Core program elements in ASPIRECore program elements in ASPIRE
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High Tech/High Touch ApproachHigh Tech/High Touch Approach
➧Customized online content modules with 1:1 feedback
➧Competency-assessed
➧1:1 Video-coaching
➧Monthly PLCs (Professional Learning Communities)
➧Earns 9 credits toward an MA -30% stay to complete
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ASPIRE to Teach
77% + increase
from 2017-2019
Candidate Snapshot:● Average Age: 36● Advanced degrees: 26%● Military Veterans: 5%, and growing● Gender: 65% female, 35% male
Aspire 2015-2019
Enrolled Completed Retention2019 337 N/A N/A
2018 275 252 91.64%
2017 193 189 97.93%
2016 182 178 97.80%
2015 193 190 98.45%
2014 158 150 94.94%
ASPIRE addresses shortage areasASPIRE addresses shortage areas
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➧Special Education – 215
➧Elementary – 150
➧Mathematics – 106
➧English – 93
➧Science – 91
Partnerships in ASPIREPartnerships in ASPIRE
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➧Teach For America (program provider)
➧Troops to Teachers (named CO provider)
➧Colorado School of Mines (in development)
Statewide growthStatewide growth
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Pathway innovations ......responsive to state needs
Pathway innovations ......responsive to state needs
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T-PREP (The Partnership for Rural Educator Preparation)
Grow-your-own partnerships with rural community colleges
Customized, seamless 2+2 with Otero and Trinidad State Jr. College
Students graduate from CC and stay on-campus
CU Denver courses delivered in several formats
All CU Denver services available
CU coordinator on campus
CU Denver hires highly-qualified instructors from CC and localarea to teach/supervise
T-PREP instructionT-PREP instruction
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➧75% courses taught face to face across the 4 years
➧25% online/hybrid or with virtual technology
Success of T-PREP pathwaySuccess of T-PREP pathway
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➧T-PREP Enrollment
Otero Junior College: 28
Trinidad State Junior College: 43
NxtGEN: diversifying theteacher workforceNxtGEN: diversifying theteacher workforce
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➧Targeted recruitment for first gen/diverse students (high schools,community colleges, ECE)
➧Also a “grow-your-own” program
➧Supported by an $8 million dollar federal grant
➧Three years of clinical experience as paid para-educator intern
➧Stipended full professional year residency
➧Student Success Center Support
➧Placed in cohorts in partner schools with a strong emphasis on studentsuccess
NxtGEN student characteristicsNxtGEN student characteristics
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Students of Color 52%
Fluent in more than 1 language 87%
Graduation rate 89%
Retention 1st year - 2nd year teaching 93%
Pathways2TeachingPathways2Teaching
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Grow Your Own for Urban TeachingGrow Your Own for Urban Teaching
➧Pathways2Teaching (since 2010) is a concurrent enrollment,grow-your-own program designed to engage high school studentsof color in exploring the teaching profession
➧Focus on engaging with, giving back to, and righting wrongs within theircommunities
➧Pathways2Teaching was launched as a pilot program with oneconcurrent enrollment course offered to 11th and 12th graders in thelowest performing high school in Colorado
➧Specialized for urban teaching➧Focus on equity and diversity
Pathways2TeachingPathways2Teaching
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Grow Your Own for Urban TeachingGrow Your Own for Urban Teaching
➧Currently, in 18 urban and rural high schools in 4 states (CO, MN, NC,NY); 1,300 students have participated
➧Now students earn 9 college credits that lead to a para-educatorcertificate
➧66% Latinx, 18% African American; 9% white; 3% Asian; and .6% NativeAmerican, and 30% in total are men of color
Addressing the whole systemrecruitment thru career developmentAddressing the whole systemrecruitment thru career development
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➧Associate Teacher in DPS’ Teaching Academies
➧Micro-credentials toward mentor teacher endorsement and masterteacher license
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Aleah’s storyAleah’s story
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