| Foundation
Notes — College of Education, Health and Human Development |
| The
College of Education, Health and Human Development received
a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education
"No Child Left Behind" Act. MSU received the second largest
award ($4.3 million) in the 2002 national funding competition.
The project, "The Northern Plains Transition to Teaching"
program (NPTT), is designed to recruit, train and place
successful professionals, from other careers, in Montana,
South Dakota and Wyoming classrooms. The project will
be administered by the college in collaboration with the
Montana Office of Public Instruction, the South Dakota
Department of Education and Cultural Affairs, Wyoming
Professional Teaching Standards Board, MSU Department
of Education faculty, Extended Studies, the Burns Telecommunications
Center and local communities. |
| The
grant will support the development of a compressed, distance
delivered (Web and site-based) teacher-training program
that will lead to teacher certification in Montana, South
Dakota and Wyoming. By providing the program via distance
delivery, NPTT teacher candidates may work toward their
teacher certification without leaving their current positions.
During the first year of the project, the NPTT expects
to place 68 teachers in schools in the three-state area
and anticipates larger numbers in following years. |
| Candidates
who are admitted to the NPTT program will receive up to
a $5,000 credit to offset the cost of the training. Successful
completion of three "qualification" courses, delivered
via the Web, will earn participants a provisional license
and allow them to be hired as teachers of record. Upon
completion of a year-long paid and mentored internship,
the candidates will receive full teacher certification.
Participants who successfully complete the graduate level
certification program will have the option of completing
an additional six credits of graduate level work to earn
a master's degree in education. |
| The
NPTT program serves the needs of professionals seeking
to change careers and become teachers. The training is
intended for civilian and military personnel capable of
demonstrating patterns of success in previous professional
endeavors. Entrance requirements include an earned baccalaureate
degree in a content area, or related field, taught at
the secondary school level. |
| Admission
is selective and dependent upon a record of prior achievement
and professional maturity. The compact nature of the program
assumes and requires a high level of readiness and motivation
on the part of candidates. Initially the training will
focus on providing teachers for high need subject areas
such as mathematics, science and music. In addition, the
project will seek to develop and place teachers in high
need school districts looking for teachers of social studies,
English, health and physical education, technology, modern
languages and special education. The curriculum consists
of 18 credit hours of course work plus six credit hours
of resident teaching. Upon completion of 24 credit hours,
candidates will be recommended for permanent licensure
in Montana or other collaborating states. A master's degree
in education is an additional option available to participants. |
| All
state and national standards will be met through the scope
and sequence of the training program. The NPTT will produce
a steady stream of highly qualified professional educators
equipped with the knowledge, skills and dispositions to
meet the needs of youth and adolescents. |
|
The NPTT is open and ready to serve. For more information,
visit the NPTT Web site at www.montana.edu/nptt,
e-mail us at nptt@montana.edu,
or call (406) 994-5662. |
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