Teacher Pathways: Rural Partnerships Pathways Program Mission

 

Oregon’s rural school districts have experienced teacher shortages, particularly Bilingual and Special Educators. The Rural Partnerships Pathways Program (RP3), as part of Western Oregon University’s Grow-Your-Own Pathways Work and the Bilingual Teacher Scholars Program, allows the College of Education at WOU to partner with the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and three educational service districts: Douglas, Northwest Regional and Linn Benton Lincoln to develop rural educator pathways . These pathways create opportunities for rural educators to participate in place-conscious degree completion, licensure and added endorsements programs such as English for Speakers of Other Languages or Special Education. RP3 Project Co-Directors, Dr. Maria Dantas-Whitney and Dr. Kristen L Pratt, are “excited about the Rural Partnerships Pathways Program which will allow us to build access and equity in our program delivery and curriculum, as well as connect with aspiring diverse educators in rural parts of Oregon and ultimately, we will see the results in PK-12 classrooms for Oregon children and their families.”

Project Accomplishments

  • Successfully obtained funding from ODE to support rural educator capacity across Oregon
  • Identified community partners from the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and three Educational Service Districts: Douglas, Linn Benton Lincoln and Northwest Regional
  • Recruited participants for listening sessions with IAs and educators in rural communities as well as tribal partners exploring challenges in accessing degree completion and licensure
  • Recruited participants to provide input on development of place-conscious approaches to educator preparation
  • Conducted first round of listening sessions
  • Designed curriculum infusion framework development for infusing equity initiatives across curriculum
  • Created lending library that supports curriculum infusion efforts (children’s, young adult, and reference books for students)
  • Developed pathways and articulations with Community College partners
  • Developed WOU 2+2 web page and presence
  • Identified designated advisors with each Community College Partner
  • Identified hybrid options for courses that have been traditionally synchronous/face-2-face class in the GenEd program
  • Created course maps for rural cohorts that provides a hybrid/online option
  • Program planning for distance/hybrid UG Dual Licensure Multiple Subjects and SPED Endorsement
  • Pilot tested virtual tool offering pathways advising, tracking of candidates’ progress, and connecting candidates to scholarships, professional development, and employment
  • Conducted second round of listening sessions
  • Gathered collaborator feedback on project utility for future and current students and partners
  • Conducted data analysis of listening sessions and will develop change ideas for WOU to implement based on the findings
  • Finalized virtual tool offering pathways advising, tracking of candidates’ progress, and connecting candidates to scholarships, professional development, and employment
  • Finalized transfer maps so candidates can easily move from any Oregon Community College to degree completion and licensure pathways at WOU
  • Finalized recommendations and “change ideas” for both WOU and for the districts/ESDs
  • Created a formal presentation of recommendations
  • Developed a plan to move forward in building strong GYO pathways in each region

We Couldn’t Do this Alone

Our partners have worked tirelessly to help make this program a success!

Linn Benton Lincoln ESD

Linn Benton Lincoln ESD Map

The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians

Douglas ESD

Northwest Regional ESD

Linn Benton Community College

Linn Benton Lincoln ESD Map

Oregon Coast Community College

Umpqua Community College

Tillamook Bay Community College

Clatsop Community College

For more information about the project contact:

Maria Dantas-Whitney
dantasm@wou.edu

Kristen L Pratt
prattk@mail.wou.edu