Rethinking Current Pipelines for Teacher Preparation: Community Colleges as an Underutilized Pathway Into Teaching

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 4
  In Roundtable Session: Examining Teacher Pipelines

Abstract

States wrestle to ensure schools have the teachers they need to meet student’s needs. They need more teachers reflective of subaltern populations that struggle in our schools. In this paper, we explore a hidden pathway into teaching through community colleges, and the extent to which a weak transfer mechanism from two- to four-year colleges impedes the supply of teachers. We conduct descriptive analyses of data from the state of Texas. We find that community colleges are a potential pathway to increase diversity in teaching, yet many education-inclined students fail to transfer. We discuss implications for state policy and for higher education institutions.

Authors

• Huriya Jabbar, The University of Texas at Austin

• Priscilla Aquino Garza, The University of Texas at Austin

• Wesley Edwards, University of North Texas