Committees

Pathways & Loan Mitigation (Recruit) - Phyllis Adams & Amy Anyanwu

Mitigating the financial barriers and debt burden for prospective teachers is critical to both the recruitment of diverse teachers as well as their retention. This committee will: 

1. Partner with school districts to develop and offer cohort-based Collge Credit Plus (CC+) programs for racially and ethnically minoritized high school students; programs should aim to create free and cost-effective options for candidates

2. Determine the process for application, review, and selection into the CC+ teacher education cohorts

3. Ensure that Early Childhood Education, MC, and Adolescent to Young Adult (AYA) pathways exist to multiple institutions of higher educaiton to maximize candidate choice and minimize student debt

4. Identify and begin implementation of marketing and strategies for recruitment

Barriers and Support (Retain) - Connie Bowman & Maya Dorsey

Research and data indicate that programmatic teacher certification requirements disproportionately prohibit prospective teachers of color from becoming licensed teachers. Given that certification requirements often have a debatable correlation to effective teaching, it is essential to reconsider how to help teachers of color as they seek to meet mandated certification requirements. This committee will: 

1. Identify the primary barriers for credential completion for candidates of color in the state of Ohio

2. Identify the root causes for those barriers

3. Identify which of those root causes can be addressed by the teacher preparation institution

4. Identify methods for dealing with and addressing the root causes for candidates who fail to complete licensure programs

5. Begin embedding and bridging of new and existing methods for racially and ethnically minoritized student retention in all levels of partner programs

Mentorship and Positive Culture (Support) - Ganiva Reyes & Tammy Schwartz

Students of color are far more likely to remain in programs when they experience belonging in a cohesive cohort that centers voices of color, provides opportunity for collaborative community work, and engages in social events. Cohort facilitators must welcome frequent feedback and make space for frank discussions about institutional policies and practices that perpetuate inequity. This committee will: 

1. Identify ways that racially and ethnically minoritized teacher candidates do and do not feel included, supported, valued during their preparation program

2. Identify strategies that better support minoritized high school/college preservice candidates and practicing teachers as they matriculate in their preparation program and into the teaching field

3. Plan and initiate support structures to promote access and agency, critical capacity and empowerment, community and belonging among racially and ethnically minoritized teacher candidates and teachers

Professional Development (Sustain) - Christa Agiro

Positive school culture is critical for both students and teachers of color alike. In addition to hiring more teachers of color, schools and institutions must also consider how culture and climate impact retention for racially and ethnically minoritized educators. This committee will: 

1. Identify necessary critical conversations within partner districts and programs to promote cultural literacy such that minoritized teacher candidates feeling personally and professionally welcomed, valued, and included

2. Create plans to facilitate cumulative critical conversation with faculty and staff in IHEs

3. Create plans to identify and bolster structures for ongoing professional development and action plans that promote progress toward more positive cultural climates within partner schools

4. Develop professional development for IEMC participants that utilize culturally relevant pedagogical approaches to high impact teaching strategies that address needs in Montgomery County schools (ie. cultural literacy, assistance with reading difficulties, culturally relevant classroom management, and trauma-informed instructional strategies)