College of Education Helping to Reduce Teacher Shortage
SDSU's College of Education received three grants aimed at helping reduce the K-12 teacher shortage in California.
San Diego State University’s College of Education is the recipient of three grants from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) aimed at helping reduce the K-12 teacher shortage in California. The grants will allow SDSU to develop programs through which students acquire both an undergraduate degree and a teaching credential in four years.“These grants will allow SDSU to play a substantial role in reducing teacher shortages, while also helping us maintain a leadership role in teacher education in California.”
Right now, after graduating with their bachelor’s degree, students spend an additional year at the university to obtain their credential.
For some students interested in teaching, the additional year it takes to obtain a credential can lead them to pursue other careers that allow them to start working sooner. That is considered one of several issues contributing to nationwide K-12 teacher shortage, which is particularly severe in California.
“With the help of the grants from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, we will pursue the goal of providing better preparation in a shorter period of time,” said Joe Johnson, dean of the College of Education. “These grants will allow SDSU to play a substantial role in reducing teacher shortages, while also helping us maintain a leadership role in teacher education in California.”
The three grants will bring a combined total of nearly $750,000 to the College of Education. Faculty members will develop integrated teacher education programs for special education, math and science education and bilingual education programs. Those areas have seen the highest demand for new teachers in recent years.
“We are proud that our nationally recognized education researchers received these significant grants from the State of California,’’ said SDSU President Elliot Hirshman. “These resources will help our faculty and staff develop innovative four-year teaching credential programs – programs that will, ultimately, support the recruitment of teachers and the excellence of our K-12 schools."
The CTC awarded a total of 35 grants to universities across California. SDSU is the only institution to receive three awards.
Under the grant rules, the College of Education has 18 months to work on its proposal to establish the four-year teacher preparation programs.
Faculty members from across campus will collaborate to review the existing programs. The goal is to consolidate the content of classes and eliminate lessons that are no longer required under current CTC standards.
The college plans to offer the four-year program for the first time in the fall of 2019.
“The four-year track will be an excellent option for students who can commit to the stricter schedule requirements necessary to complete the program in four years," said Nadine Bezuk, associate dean in the College of Education and the grant administrator.
The college will continue to offer the existing five-year track which provides students with more flexibility in completing the program.
