Working together to elevate the next generation of Texas educators, Education Service Center Region 13, Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT), and Abilene Christian University (ACU) have partnered together to create the Classroom to Career Teaching Track. This innovative program offers students the opportunity to earn their associates degree, obtain their paraprofessional certification, and enter the workforce – immediately upon graduating high school. In as little as two additional years, they will be eligible to become a fully licensed teacher.
Creating Licensed Teachers Faster
Preparing your students for a brighter future, the Classroom to Career program will challenge how they think critically and grow into goal-oriented individuals focused on serving others while becoming a crucial part of the education staff in your district.
Benefits and Requirements
Districts
Benefits:
Expand educator CTE pathway and increase access for dual credit opportunities
Develop pool of paraprofessionals and create a student to teacher pipeline
Address targeted CCMR attainment
Requirements:
Recruit students to participate in Education and Training CTE pathway
Collaborate with ESC Region 13 and Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) to facilitate course scheduling and instruction
Provide time and funding for paraprofessionals to attend LIT courses to complete Bachelors degree and teacher certification
Students
Benefits:
Graduate with a paraprofessional or Educational Aide certification, Associate Degree, and/or college credit hours
Immediate employment within district as paraprofessional (vacancy-dependent) with time for continued education
Opportunity to earn bachelors and teaching certification
Requirements:
Participate in CTE Education and Training pathway
Complete certification and serve as a paraprofessional within district
Earn bachelors and teaching certification and commit to teaching with the district for an agreed number of years
Teachers
Benefits:
Option to become accredited by LIT to teach dual credit courses (Masters degree required)
Opportunity to participate in higher education courses to earn Masters degree
Stipend for teaching dual credit courses
Requirements:
Work with LIT and ESC Region 13 to provide CTE and dual credit courses to students
Serve as classroom facilitator (if not teacher of record)
Mentor student participants
Increase the pool of paraprofessionals and teachers within your district
The Classroom to Career program is crafted to meet the needs of your district in a financially and fiscally responsible way and:
Addresses critical paraprofessional and teacher shortage
Prepares students for educational careers by offering highly-qualified paraprofessional certification, educational aide hours, college credit and/or an Associates Degree
Partners with Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) to provide an Associate of Arts in Teaching. This degree provides Core Curriculum that will transfer to four-year institutions and coincides with the first two years of most baccalaureate education degree plans
Invests in student growth and potential with cost savings for districts, students and families (costs are approximately $50 per credit hour)
Program features and commitments:
ESC Region 13 will serve as the facilitator of the pilot project and will coordinate all planning meetings with LIT. LIT and ESC Region 13 can provide dual credit teachers if the district does not have qualified staff to offer the courses.
Program features and commitments:
ESC Region 13 will serve as the facilitator of the pilot project and will coordinate all planning meetings with LIT. LIT and ESC Region 13 can provide dual credit teachers if the district does not have qualified staff to offer the courses
ESC Region 13 will provide paraprofessional certification courses during the student’s senior year
ESC Region 13 will work with districts to provide marketing materials to assist with recruitment and retention
LIT will provide TSI resources, including a TSI bootcamp for qualifying students
LIT will provide dual credits opportunities for students to earn an Associate of Arts in Teaching. This degree provides Core Curriculum that will transfer to four-year institutions and coincides with the first two years of most baccalaureate education degree plans
LIT will provide online, asynchronous courses with no text book costs
Earn a Degree by High School Graduation.
The Classroom to Career program was designed to allow districts to invest in their student base by increasing the pool of paraprofessionals within their district. In doing so, the Classroom to Career Teaching Track provides a core curriculum that can transfer to any four-year institution and equates to an associate’s degree. Additionally, recruited students will automatically be placed into the district’s system to serve as substitute teachers or in vacant paraprofessional positions while continuing their studies toward a future bachelor’s degree.
Format
Woven into your current high school curriculum, recruited students will take their required courses for graduation while gaining a total of 60 dual credits and an Associate of Arts in Teaching through LIT.
Accelerate Into a Bachelor's Degree
Following high school graduation, your students will automatically receive acceptance into Abilene Christian University and enroll in the online Bachelor of Science in Integrated Studies degree program. Uniquely designed to dovetail with ACU’s work embedded Educator Preparation Program*, students will focus on two concentrations, such as psychology and early childhood/elementary certification (or other areas as appropriate and approved by ACU).
Format
In ACU’s fully online Bachelor of Science in Integrated Studies, students will be able to transfer their LIT dual credit hours to complete their bachelor’s degree in less than two years versus the traditional four. Connect their dream of being a teacher with your goals of acquiring instructional staff who don’t just understand your community but are part of it.
Enrollment steps and checklist
Counselor meets with students to determine interest and initial eligibility in LIT Dual Credit courses
Counselor and student review current academic transcript and placement information
Student take Texas Success Initiative (TSI) assessment, if necessary
Student will be assigned a T-number (LIT student ID)
Student, Counselor and LIT Advisor collaborate on course selection for students based on the Associate of Arts Degree plan
LIT Advisor will register students for appropriate semester
Student will take online courses during the school day with district support
Important information
Tuition: Student tuition costs will be covered by the district
Course Delivery: All courses will be offered online, asynchronously, during the school day
FERPA: College instructors are required to follow FERPA regulations and release of dual credit student educational information to the parent violates federal law. For more information, please visit Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Credits earned at LIT are transferrable to other state institutions of higher education. To see if a course will transfer to a college or university in Texas, visit the Texas Common Course Numbering System website.
The Classroom to Career Teaching Track provides you with the opportunity to pursue an educational career by offering paraprofessional certification, college credit, and/or an Associate of Arts Degree in Teaching.
This program is crafted to meet the needs of District employees:
Prepares employees for educational careers by offering highly-qualified paraprofessional certification, college credit and/or an Associate of Arts Degree in Teaching
Partners with Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) and ESC Region 13 to provide an Associate of Arts in Teaching. This degree provides Core Curriculum that will transfer to four-year institutions and coincides with the first two years of most baccalaureate education degree plans
Invests in employee growth and potential with costs savings
Enrollment steps and checklist
College counselor meets with you to determine interest and initial eligibility in LIT courses
College counselor reviews with you your current academic transcript and placement information
Take Texas Success Initiative (TSI) assessment, if necessary
Collaborate on course selection for students based on the Associate of Arts Degree plan
LIT Advisor will register you for appropriate semester
You will take online courses
Important information
Tuition: Tuition costs may be covered by the district
Course Delivery: All courses will be offered online, asynchronously
Credits earned at LIT are transferrable to other state institutions of higher education. To see if a course will transfer to a college or university in Texas, visit the Texas Common Course Numbering System website.
