Board approves extension with CREC to cross‑endorse teachers into special education; district to cover tuition and offer pay incentive

The Bridgeport Board of Education on March 24 voted to extend an agreement with the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) to support certified teachers who seek cross‑endorsement in special education.

Under the program described by district staff, currently certified elementary and secondary teachers may enroll in a one‑year non‑degree cross‑endorsement program that enables them to begin serving as certified special‑education teachers under a durational shortage area permit. Program cost to the district is $9,950 per candidate, and district staff asked that Bridgeport pay tuition, provide a two‑step salary increase for participants and secure a post‑completion commitment for several years of service.

Nut graf: The program is a retention and recruitment strategy designed to reduce long‑term reliance on temporary substitutes in special‑education positions. District presenters said more than 20 teachers expressed interest in the current recruitment round and estimated combined costs of tuition and salary steps would be in the low‑to‑mid hundreds of thousands of dollars.

What was decided

Board members supported the concept but requested clearer union agreements. Administration said the current MOU calls for a three‑year service period after certification (effectively a four‑year timeline including the training year) but that any extension of required service would require bargaining with the union. Staff provided a district cost estimate—tuition plus projected step increases—of roughly $167,603 additional salary obligations on top of tuition, yielding a combined approximate outlay in the mid‑$300,000s for an initial cohort (figures provided in committee discussion).

Why it matters: Bridgeport, like many districts in the region, faces a shortage of certified special‑education teachers. The cross‑endorsement program aims to convert experienced general‑education teachers into fully certified special‑education teachers, reducing long‑term substitute use and stabilizing staffing in high‑need classrooms.

Next steps: Administration will negotiate MOU language with the union to clarify the post‑training service requirement, bring revised MOU language back to the board as needed, and publish a timeline for enrollment and hiring.

Ending: The motion to extend the CREC agreement passed; one member recorded an abstention and one opposed the motion during the voice vote. Board members who supported the program described it as a long‑term investment in staffing stability for special education.