FRANKFORT, KY – As the 2024-25 school year begins, the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board announced the approval of two innovative college programs in partnership with Lake Erie College and Bloom's BoardThese residency-like degree programs aim to optimize and improve teacher preparation in Kentucky. They offer a sustainable solution to the state’s teacher shortage by providing school districts with an accessible, high-quality model to develop talent directly in their K-12 classrooms.
The newly approved programs They include pathways for Lake Erie College’s Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and the Bachelor of Arts in Mild-Moderate Intervention Specialist. The innovative approach to degree programs allows future teachers to earn their bachelor’s degree while working within district classrooms and earning a salary. With no evening or weekend classes, this model significantly reduces traditional time and cost barriers associated with earning a degree. Participants receive training and can easily apply what they learn.
“These new programs are a game-changer for Kentucky school districts looking to address teacher shortages going forward,” said Sanford Kenyon, BloomBoard’s executive director. “The workplace-based model offers access and affordability that traditional teacher development programs can’t match. We’ve seen in other states that participating school districts can quickly become employers of choice within their regions.”
Through this partnership, Kentucky school districts can invest in their future by supporting groups of aspiring teachers who work within the school district in roles as paraprofessionals. This model offers a path forward for community residents who do not have access to a traditional preparation pathway.
“These high-quality, workplace-based teacher preparation programs are practical and effective solutions to a significant unmet need in Kentucky,” said Dustin Howard, superintendent of Clark County Public Schools. “Allowing future teachers to earn academic credit and a salary while working in real classrooms is a win-win for both school districts and program participants.”
The approval of these undergraduate programs is based on the success of BloomBoard Changes and advancements in Kentucky's teaching ranks In partnership with the Western Kentucky Educational Cooperative (WKEC), BloomBoard now offers the RankUp KY! program, which helps Kentucky teachers earn a Rank II or Rank I through hands-on coursework integrated into their classroom practice. More than 1,200 teachers have enrolled in an on-the-job rank change program offered by BloomBoard and its partners over the past four years.
“The success of the RankUp KY! program has proven that on-the-job training is a world-class teaching model,” said Gretchen Wetzel, executive director of the West Kentucky Education Cooperative. “This new bachelor’s degree program builds on that strong delivery system, allowing future educators to earn credit by demonstrating what they know in a real classroom and applying new learning right away. Kentucky district leaders will be thrilled with the expansion of on-the-job advancement offerings.”
Kentucky school districts interested in supporting a cohort should contact BloomBoard's Director of Kentucky District Partnerships, Carter Myers, at [email protected]
About BloomBoard
BloomBoard is a talent development provider that enables K-12 school districts to develop, promote, and retain educators by making professional education a benefit of employment. The company offers turnkey programs for school districts to advance educators at all points in their career path. Their platform connects districts with higher education institutions that offer certificate and degree programs using a unique on-the-job instruction model. Visit www.bloomboard.com To find out more.
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