The Teacher Pipeline: Answering the Call for More Teachers

AUTHOR: DR. KAY SHURTLEFF, Region 10 Research & Evaluation Analyst

IN EARLY OCTOBER 2021, Dr. Bud Nauyokas, Region 10 Director of Personnel and Certification Services, and Dr. Gordon Taylor, Region 10 Executive Director, met with Dr. Laura Isbell, Abbie Harper, and Rene Martinez from Texas A&M University - Commerce (TAMUC) to discuss ways to encourage more Hispanic students to attend college. When they scheduled that meeting, they had little idea they were about to launch a program to address the shortage of teachers in Texas! Their discussion led them to the need for speed and affordability in a college degree program, particularly for first generation college students. As their conversation progressed, they recognized the potential for a partnership that could not only encourage Hispanic and other minority students to attend college, but also redefine the path of teacher certification for all students in this area. Dr. Nauyokas was excited to take on the project because, as he put it, “TAMUC was looking at education in a different way. They were willing to let go of the traditional four-year model.”

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

A high school graduate enrolls in the online bachelor of applied arts and sciences (BAAS) program at TAMUC. This degree can be completed in two years for under $10,000 - less if the student brings Dual Credit or AP test credit. Classes cost $750 per term, and there are 12 terms, each lasting seven weeks. Students take courses in core content areas, as well as courses in leadership, data based decision making, and organizational structure and change. As Dr. Nauyokas points out, “These are all skills needed in teaching, and sometimes traditional education programs don’t include all of those.”

Throughout their university coursework, students work with a TAMUC academic advisor who works in tandem with Region 10 staff to prepare them for working in a school. Once the two-year BAAS is completed, students enroll in the Region 10 Alternative Certification program, which costs around $5,500, where they will complete the required 300 hours of coursework and then be eligible to be hired in a school. At that point, the student is on contract with the district and getting paid as the teacher of record, but is still completing a practicum. Students have the huge benefit of a year-long mentor/field advisor to help them navigate the first year of teaching, provide feedback on their teaching, and give them support that early career teachers need but are not always provided. The first students to participate in this program began classes in January 2022.

Districts are excited about the possibilities and have already begun to explore ways they can help. One district is offering their graduating seniors who are accepted into the program positions as teacher aides or bus drivers. Those students will be able to earn income and enroll in the Teacher Retirement System while they are completing their BAAS coursework. This gives them the chance to learn practical things such as the district protocols, systems, and the dayto-day operations of a school. Once they obtain their BAAS degree and complete the Region 10 Alternative Certification courses, the students will be hired as teachers in the district and complete their practicums. After that, they will be fully credentialed educators.

Another district is exploring subsidizing the cost of a student’s BAAS degree, provided the student will sign a three-year contract to teach in the district upon completion of the program. Other districts are using the program as a path for their current paraprofessionals, many of whom already have some transferable college hours, to become certified teachers.

The teacher shortage is a well-documented concern that calls for innovative, research backed solutions. (See "Data Discoveries" in this issue of Reach!) We believe that the Teacher Pipeline Program answers that call by combining the benefits of a traditional bachelor of science degree from an accredited university with the hands-on, expedited pathway to alternative certification for teachers. We are excited to see where this venture takes us!

For more information about the Teacher Pipeline Program, contact Dr. Nauyokas. bud.nauyokas@region10.org