ALAMOSA — Adams State University is partnering with area school districts to be part of the solution to teacher shortages. With a $25,000 grant from the University of Northern Colorado Center for Rural Education, Adams State has launched Project SERVE - Supporting Early Recruitment and Retention of Valley Educators. The project is funded by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Improving Teacher Quality, through the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

Following the teacher cadet model, Project SERVE will cultivate high school students who are interested in becoming teachers and give them a head start on college preparation. The project also includes components to improve current teacher quality and increase teacher retention.

“We believe we can grow our own pool of high quality teachers that are valley natives and will stay and continue to serve their communities and schools,” said Curtis Garcia, assistant professor of education, who is project director. “We sometimes find that teachers from outside the valley do not necessarily want to settle here long term, which creates high turnover and makes it challenging for school districts to recruit and retain teachers. If we can groom young people from our own communities who possess the skills and dispositions to become teachers, then we can create a sustainable pool of teachers to serve our schools.”

The Colorado Department of Higher Education issued a report, Colorado’s Teacher Shortages: Attracting and Retaining Excellent Educators, in which it outlines the issue and strategies to address it. It says factors contributing to the teacher shortage include declining enrollment in teacher preparation programs, teachers leaving the field, and retirement of veteran teachers. As a result, Colorado recruits half of its teachers from out of state. “The shortages are more pronounced in rural and remote rural areas where we find unique challenges driven by inadequate teacher compensation, lack of affordable housing, and difficulty attracting new teachers to rural communities,” the report states.

Developing future teachers
Twenty-two high school juniors and seniors in seven San Luis Valley area school districts are participating in a pilot of Project SERVE this semester. They are enrolled in the course, So You Want to be a Teacher, taught by Center School District Superintendent Chris Vance. The course is presented virtually during the school day, with additional workshops on the Adams State campus. Students earn three college credits for the course, as well as concurrent high school credit. Adams State is providing scholarships to cover students’ tuition for the pilot. Students also are eligible to earn micro-credentials through Educators Rising – a nationally recognized provider of teacher cadet curriculum that partners with the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) to evaluate the skills of teacher cadets from around the country. That certification carries weight in college admission and the job search.

These teacher cadets will also complete 20 hours of volunteer service in an elementary or middle school, working with a mentor teacher in their district. “They will spend at least one hour per week assisting in the classroom and learning how to plan and teach lessons,” Garcia said. The participating school districts provide a stipend to the mentor teachers. Adams State will provide ongoing support to teacher cadet mentors through monthly Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), as well as tuition credits offered through the University.

During subsequent years of the program, students will be eligible to take the Foundations of Education course, also with college and concurrent high school credit. “When the students finish high school and come to us, these credits will help them fast-track through our teacher education program, which will help them to graduate within four years,” Garcia said. “If they also take general education requirements concurrently in high school, then they can potentially enter Adams State with sophomore status and have a solid foundation to complete a bachelor’s degree.” At a symposium in June, the students will present their work on how the experience has supported their workforce and career readiness.

Supporting current teachers
“Project SERVE also looks at ways we can support and develop teachers who are already in the field,” Garcia added. Toward that end, the partnership with UNC provides opportunities for $6,000 scholarships to current teachers who wish to earn NBPTS certification, which is the highest credential a teacher can earn and which is linked to higher teacher quality. The certification process helps teachers develop their teaching skills and reflective practices, which builds their confidence. “As teachers’ efficacy goes up, they are more likely to stay in the profession.” He said there is a movement across Colorado to provide additional pay to teachers with the credential.

The partnership with UNC also offers teachers $6,000 scholarships to become qualified to teach college courses in high school. That requires a master’s degree that includes 18 credits in a content area. “ASU has done concurrent qualification for years, but until now, it hasn’t had the state support this project provides.”
Garcia said another goal of Project SERVE is to send two students per community to a national conference each semester. Project SERVE will be seeking community support for that effort in the form of sponsorships as the project develops.

For more information about Project SERVE, contact Curtis Garcia at 719-587-8202. Students interested in the program should connect with their school counselor or principal.