The California Teacher Corps “The Right Teacher Makes All the Difference”

Fall Leadership MeetingNovember 19, 2009

Who We Are

The California Teacher Corps is a nonprofit organization established in 2009 with the goal of placing 100,000 highly-qualified teachers in underserved communities by 2020. The Teacher Corps provides a unified voice for the state’s alternative certification programs, effectively and proactively addresses teacher preparation issues facing California and recruits the best and the brightest professionals to teach in the public schools that need them most. Teacher Corps membership trains second-career teachers, and others committed to working in hard-to-staff schools, who have deep subject-area expertise and who remain in the teaching profession.

Who We Are: Board of DirectorsCatherine Kearney, President

San Joaquin County Office of Education

Corinne Muelrath, SecretaryNorth Coast Beginning Teacher Program (Region 1)

Tania Schalburg-Dykes Kern County Superintendent of Schools Intern Consortium (Region 2)

Ruth Beauchamp San Jose State / School University Partnership Internship Program (Region 3)

Marjorie McCabeCSU San Bernardino Special Education (Region 5)

Belinda KargeCSU Fullerton Special Education (Region 6)

Meredith Fellows CalState TEACH (Region 6)

Why Did We Form?The California Teacher Corps was formed:

To provide a unified voice for alternative certification programs in the state of California.

To effectively and proactively address teacher preparation issues in California, including teacher shortages and the critical need for math, science and special education teachers.

To be more effective in recruiting the best and brightest individuals to teach in California’s public schools, especially in the state’s underserved communities.

To change the perception of California’s alternative certification programs and the teachers who come out of them.

We like to say: If a person is mature, highly committed, talented, and passionate and wants to serve their community as a teacher, then alternative certification is the right fit.

How We Are Changing California: Our Goals Goals of the organization:

Support multiple routes into teaching, but focus on recruitment of second-career professionals and other committed individuals willing to serve in our hardest-to-staff schools.

Help to establish new alternative certification programs in areas of the state that are in need.

Provide technical assistance to alternative certification programs as they grow.

Strengthen existing alternative certification programs as they serve as pipelines for preparing teachers.

Serve as a resource on research about effectiveness of teacher preparation in California.

Make the public aware of the talented, committed individuals who pursue alternative routes.

What We have Accomplished Solidified strong support from the Governor’s Office and

the Secretary of Education.

Broad media attention highlighting the benefits of alternative certification to California, as well as the service of our programs and teachers.

Developed strategic partnerships with related organizations, such as the National Association for Alternative Certification, Civic Ventures/Encore Careers, and EnCorps Teachers Program.

Established a highly visited website: www.cateachercorps.org

Launched the California Teacher Corp Monthly, a newsletter that will update you on the happenings of the Teacher Corps, as well as highlight the good work of our programs.

“I applaud the California Teacher Corps for its leadership and commitment to improving public education in California.”

 - California Secretary of Education Glen Thomas

Teacher Corps: Our MessageThree Key Message Points throughout all Outreach

• Our programs are increasing the pool of talented, committed and diverse teachers in California’s public schools.

• Our programs are filling a critical need for highly-qualified and well-prepared teachers who are experts in their academic subject matter.

• Our teachers undergo a rigorous process that ensures they are well-prepared to teach in our public schools.

Through these messages, and the branding of alternative certification and the Teacher Corps, we have been able to begin reshaping the perception of our programs and our teachers.

“Underprepared” & “Inexperienced” Highly-qualified, content experts, best suited to serve our students

What We have Accomplished: Extensive Media Attention

Strategic and coordinated media outreach/campaigns:

Launch of the California Teacher Corps Release of Commission on Teacher Credentialing

Principal Surveys

Over 26 stories in the press, both in broadcast and print. This includes the Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle, La Opinion, Riverside Press-Enterprise, Education Week, SI&A Cabinet Report and much more.

We were able to highlight the work of regional programs, as well as put a face to alternative certification through our many teachers.

“I left law school and today I am doing what I wanted, just in a different way. Instead of in the courtroom, I am advocating for children in the classroom.”  

– Martina, Special Education Teacher

“If I had discovered how much fun teaching was, I would have started in this field a lot earlier. I am 63, on my third career and still having fun.”

 – Walt, Science Teacher

What We Have Accomplished: Highlights from Media Sacramento Bee “State Can’t Let Money Slip Away”‘These mid-career recruits have deep content expertise and life experience. They most often cite a desire to "give back" and to "serve the community" as a reason to switch to teaching – and 80 percent remain in teaching after five years….’

Education Week “100,000 New Teachers for California”“Today, an informal network of folks who oversee 70 separate alternative teacher certification programs around the state are launching a formal membership organization that aims to find top-notch professional people who want a second career in the classroom… The group particularly wants to help cultivate new teaching talent in the state's rural and urban pockets where school district leaders struggle most with recruitment, hiring, and retention.”

San Francisco Chronicle “Teachers Take Alternate Route into the Classroom” “Participants get about 160 hours of pre-classroom training before starting the school year and then they are heavily coached and supported once they get assigned to a school… While many are experts in their field - scientists, lawyers, accountants, business executives - they still need the basics: pedagogy, classroom management, lesson planning …..”

Teacher Corps’ New WebsiteIn August, we launched our new website and we are in the process of making updates to it to make it more user friendly for you, our membership. The website serves as a portal for all prospective teachers, alternative certification programs, and the general public to learn about the Teacher Corps, our programs and teachers.

Components of the website include:

About us: Who we are, Board of Directors, History of Alternative Certification in California Alternative Certification: What is alternative certification and is it for you, how does it

work, benefits? Programs: All 70 programs from across the state listed Our Teachers: Examples of our teachers because nothing tells our story better Resources: Reports, research, upcoming events, connected organizations News: Listing of all our media hits, what’s in the news as well as press releases

California Teacher Corps Website www.cateachercorps.org

Teacher Corps NewsletterThis past month we sent out our first issue of the California Teacher Corps Monthly. The Monthly will keep our membership updated on the happenings of the Teacher Corps, as well as highlight regional news.

If you would like to submit regional news, please send to cateachercorps@hotmail.com

Next Steps for the Teacher CorpsWe are just beginning and have so much more ahead of us. In order to take a more proactive role in improving public education in California, we need you! We want to work with each of you to make the organization as successful as possible, and ultimately help to recruit and train a new generation of passionate, highly-qualified and committed teachers.

We can’t do it without you! Please join us to present a stronger and more unified voice for California’s alternative certification programs.

Feel free to email us with any questions at cateachercorps@hotmail.com or reach out to your regional board member. Their contact information can be found on our website at www.cateachercorps.org.