Teacher Pathways Program: Plain Local Schools Is Growing Their Own Teachers
Program Description and Purpose
The Teacher Pathways program at Plain Local Schools (PLS) is a 2-year program for students in Grades 11 and 12 who are interested in pursuing a career as an educator. The program helps the district grow their own teacher candidates, some of whom return to the district after they become licensed educators.
Partners
Partners in this program include Stark State College and local consortium districts, including Jackson Local Schools, Lake Local Schools, Alliance City School District, and Plain Local Schools.
Photo source: Plain Local Schools (Ohio): https://www.plainlocal.org/
Eligible Participants
Students in Grades 11 and 12 interested in pursuing a career as an educator are eligible for this program.
How it Works
Photo source: Plain local schools (Ohio) Eagle Nation Community Magazine (V3, #2, Winter 2024)
Students complete college-level coursework (earning up to 12 transferable college credits through Stark State College) and gain experience in classrooms across the district. The consortium program is open to interested students at PLS and other local school districts (Jackson Local Schools, Lake Local Schools, and Alliance City School District). Transportation from other districts depends on a student’s home district. Some districts (i.e., Jackson Local Schools and Lake Local Schools) provide students with transportation.
Benefits for Participants
As enrolled students in the Teacher Pathways program, high school students gain knowledge and skills about instructional practices and serve as teacher aids and observers several days per week, gaining exposure to a variety of grades and content areas. To pass the program, students are required to complete mandated state tests (related to education-specific topics) and a program portfolio. As part of the program, students discuss teacher employment market trends and current demand for teaching fields. Based on these discussions and student preference, students can focus on specific grade levels or content areas of interest.
A representative of the program attributes the success of the program to three key features: (1) the connections and relationships among students, the director, and other classroom teachers in the district; (2) the relevancy of the coursework to the experiences they gain in classrooms; and (3) postsecondary success beyond the program (exposure to the content and ability to transfer 12 credit hours of education coursework).
Students are not required to return to the district to teach after obtaining teaching licensure, but program graduates are guaranteed a first interview if applying for a teaching position within the district.
Benefits for the District
Grow-your-own programs require a lot of time and other resources to establish, but the sustained pay off has benefited PLS, as evidenced by their current teachers who are graduates of the Teacher Pathways program (including teachers in high school science and ELA, middle school ELA, intervention specialists, and elementary education). The partnerships with other districts allow for a larger cohort size and sustainability of the program. The partnership with Stark State College helps recruit students into the program and helps ensure that student preparation is aligned to postsecondary program expectations.
Considerations for Other Districts
A representative at PLS shared the importance of having a full-time director staffed to coordinate program logistics. The program director role includes teaching the coursework, organizing the classroom experiences, and working with partners to guarantee successful program completion for candidates. The district representative also suggested the possibility of having co-program directors: one person to oversee visitations and classroom experiences and another person to manage course content delivery. They also recommended starting with one cohort at a time and growing the program as capacity is built. To promote the program to potential students, PLS hosts a career and technical education (CTE) overview day. This event uses a speed-dating structure for students to explore different CTE offerings, including the Teacher Pathways Program. After the CTE overview day, interested students attend a 45-minute interest observation to learn more about the program.