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U.S. Education Secretary visits Glen Karen to spotlight district teacher apprenticeship
Summary
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited Glen Karen Elementary on Sept. 9 as part of his back-to-school tour to hear about East Lansing’s Talent Together teacher apprenticeship program; the board and superintendent highlighted the program as a pipeline for teachers and said the district is pursuing funding and partnerships.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona stopped at Glen Karen Elementary as part of a back-to-school bus tour to learn about East Lansing School District’s Talent Together teacher apprenticeship program, Superintendent Leo told the board during the Sept. 9 meeting.
"If you think about the pedagogy of how you learn and become a teacher you learn by doing and by having a mentor teacher," Superintendent Leo said, quoting Secretary Cardona’s remarks during the visit. Leo said Cardona and visiting officials spent most of the stop listening to current and former mentor and apprentice teachers and meeting with students.
Leo described the apprenticeship as a pathway that reduces barriers to entry for prospective teachers by combining paid work with coursework and mentoring. She said the district currently has three apprentice teachers who work in-district while earning coursework credit and income, and that the mentor teachers also receive compensation for their supervision.
The superintendent said the visit included conversations with district and regional education leaders about the program’s potential impact on state and federal funding. She also said the district will continue to advocate for ongoing funding because the program "removes barriers" for candidates and builds local pipelines into teaching.
During the report, Leo also updated the board on a separate operational item: the planned school-based health clinic. She said the Ingham County Health Department can no longer partner on clinic operations because of a budget deficit, but that construction funds remain and the district is exploring new partners, including U of M Sparrow. Leo said she will visit a Grand Ledge clinic this week and will convene the ELHS community advisory council before deciding next steps.
The board asked how Glen Karen was selected for Cardona’s visit; Leo said national and state superintendent organizations connected the district to the Department of Education and the district agreed to host. Several trustees praised the staff and apprentice teachers who represented the district during the visit.
The board will continue discussion of the Talent Together program and possible funding routes at upcoming committee meetings.
