Gilbert Public Schools spotlights Pathway alternative-certification program that trains career-changers to teach
Loading...
Summary
District staff presented the Pathway program for professionals changing careers into teaching, describing 130'—50 hours of in-person training, 30 hours of coaching, a required SEI endorsement, cohort numbers (53 elementary Pathway teachers districtwide) and a roughly 72% retention rate for teachers who began the program in the past four years.
District staff used the Teaching & Learning Spotlight to present the Pathway alternative-certification program, which trains career changers to become classroom teachers through intensive in-person coursework, individualized coaching and campus-based support.
"Pathway is really the story of students who deserve great teachers," Lisa Kreaser, the Pathway coordinator, told the board while describing program requirements: candidates must hold a bachelor's or master's degree (not necessarily in education), have a level-1 fingerprint clearance card, and complete between 130 and 150 hours of in-person training plus 30 hours of personalized coaching over two years. The program also requires a state-mandated Structured English Immersion (SEI) endorsement by program completion.
Kreaser and her team described program outcomes and supports: regular classroom observations, individualized goal-setting, signature courses such as Keys to Literacy and SEI, and partnerships across special education, instructional coaches and tech services. Staff reported approximately 72% of Pathway participants who began in the past four years remain in district classrooms and that the current district cohort includes about 53 elementary Pathway teachers and additional secondary placements.
Board members asked about certificate reciprocity and SEI timing. Kreaser said the certificate Pathway teachers receive is a classroom-based standard certificate and whether another state accepts that certificate is up to the receiving state; she cited examples of two teachers whose certificates were accepted in Wisconsin and Texas. On SEI she said it is required by the state and must be completed by the end of the program; if a teacher has English learners in year one, the district ensures they get the training that year.
Next steps: The board thanked the Pathway team; the presentation concluded without action items but affirmed the program's role in filling district staffing needs and supporting teacher retention.
