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My Two Cents: Growing A More Diverse Teaching Corps In MCPS

By WTOP Staff

My Two Cents is a weekly opinion column from Bethesda resident Joseph Hawkins. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of BethesdaNow.com.

A recent Montgomery County Council report points out that the Montgomery County Public Schools teacher corps is not diverse enough when compared to the school system’s student body.

Nearly, two-thirds of MCPS students are non-white and yet 76 percent of its teachers are white.

Joseph Hawkins(Just to show the huge shift in MCPS over the last three decades: In 1985, the MCPS teacher corps was 89 percent white, and the study body was 70 percent white.)

When the County report came out in late September, MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr promised on WAMU’s Kojo Nnamdi Show that the school system would do better on this front.

Starr didn’t offer many specifics as to how that “better” would be achieved. But he did join some other county leaders in promoting this recent New York Times piece highlighting a unique teacher residency program that seems to be effective in attracting minorities into teaching careers:

I was curious about the program and emailed Aspire’s Heather Kirkpatrick with a list of questions.

I think adapting such an apprenticeship program for MCPS is paramount to any serious effort to bring more teachers of color to our classrooms. And if Starr and other county leaders are serious about doing better, they’ll find the money to start such an effort.

Me: Why did Aspire start its teacher residency program?

Heather Kirkpatrick:  The program was designed to develop and retain Aspire’s teacher workforce. The goal of this program is also to reverse the growing rates of teacher retention in low-income, high-minority schools. According to the Urban Teacher Residency United, roughly 50 percent of all urban public school teachers leave within the first three years. Study after study has shown that students taught by experienced teachers achieve greater academic success than students taught by first-year teachers.

Me: Explain to Bethesda Now readers some of the basics of the program. Are residents undergraduates, college graduates? Is there an application process? How long is the residency program?

Kirkpatrick: Residents are college graduates who, through the program, teach alongside a trained mentor teacher for the entirety of the school year while simultaneously earning their masters degree and teaching credential. One day a week, the residents attend an all day seminar with their Regional Cohort, discussing the coursework theories and classroom practices at Aspire. They also take online courses in education theory through University of the Pacific during the summer and school year.

There is an application process. To be considered for the 2015-16 cohort, the application requirements are:

  • Complete a bachelor’s degree by the end of June 2015
  • Have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher on the last 60 semester of 90 quarter units earned*
    (*Individuals with a GPA below 3.0 may apply, but must include a written explanation of the circumstances that contributed to a lower GPA in order to be considered.)
  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident authorized to work in the U.S.

The application process is similar to a graduate school application process, requiring applicants to submit an application form, personal statement essays, recommendation forms and transcripts.

The residency program is four years long; year one is the residency year, years two and three are the induction years. Only the first year is spent teaching alongside the mentor teacher. By years two and three, the resident is teaching full-time and receives coaching support and, in year four, the resident is on their own.

Me: In what significant ways does your program differ from other similar residency programs?

Kirkpatrick: Aspire is unique in that it is developing its own workforce through its own residency program.

In other programs, a third party is brought in to train teachers. Or, teachers are trained and may end up with the school organization or teaching at a different location. Aspire is focused on training and supporting those who want to be teachers within the Aspire network. During the program, residents not only learn how to be a highly-effective teacher but also the Aspire culture.

Me:  Have any public school districts approached you in the hopes of adopting your residency program?

Kirkpatrick:  No. Our focus, at the moment, is to ensure the program is financially sustainable. With that, sharing the model with others is not an option we’ve broached.

Me: This is purely speculation on my part, but it seems to me that your residency program would be ideal for suburban school districts struggling to attract teachers of color. Many affluent suburban districts struggle on this front.  Why and how would your program offer an advantage over normal recruiting efforts?

Kilpatrick: Great observation. Ensuring diversity among our teachers has been a goal of the program since the start. At Aspire, we work with predominantly minority students of color. As such, it’s particularly important for our students to work with a diverse group of teachers and leaders when learning.

Through the Aspire Teacher Residency program, we have been able to offer a more efficient and supportive path to becoming a teacher in hopes of attracting highly motivated individuals eager to make a difference in getting students to college. And, should anyone be interested, we’re always looking for qualified applicants.

Joseph Hawkins is a longtime Bethesda resident who remembers when there was no Capital Crescent Trail. He works full-time for an employee-owned social science research firm located Montgomery County. He is a D.C. native and for nearly 10 years, he wrote a regular column for the Montgomery Journal. He also has essays and editorials published in Education Week, the Washington Post, and Teaching Tolerance Magazine. He is a serious live music fan and is committed to checking out some live act at least once a month.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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