Homegrown for Success: Building New Partnerships With Local District Partners (Poster 4)

• In Event: A University System Transforming Teacher Preparation Through Initiatives to Recruit, Support, and Retain BIPOC Teachers

Abstract

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2011), about half of the 55.5 million children enrolled in public schools come from a culturally diverse background and about one-fifth of the total student population speak a language other than English at home. In contrast, the teaching force continues to be overwhelmingly mono-lingual, white women who often hold mainstream values and ideologies. These women tend to come from culturally and racially isolated neighborhoods (DiAngelo & Sensoy, 2010; Sleeter, 2001).

The purpose of this study is to examine and recreate a pathway that intentionally supports BIPOC students within the teaching profession. This pathway includes development of a partnership between a state university located in a rural region of California - a Hispanic Serving Institution - and a local school district. Our objectives include: doubling the number of BIPOC teacher candidates placed in student teaching sites within our partnership school district and doubling the number of BIPOC teacher candidates hired within our partnership school district.


This study is grounded in the Community of Practice (CoP) framework (Wenger, 1998), which provides the foundation to build a supportive network fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and professional growth. As part of CoP, we have assembled a core research team, which includes teacher preparation faculty and local school district administrators. We have agreed upon the common goals of increasing the number of BIPOC students pursuing teaching careers and improving the retention of BIPOC educators within the local school district.


The research design and data collection of this study consists of a qualitative depth of analysis known as an instrumental case study (Stake, 1995). This method requires analysis of multiple data forms to be collected from multiple sources in order to build a rich description of the case. In our study, the case consists of the pathway from the local school district high school to the undergraduate program, to the credential program, back to the local school district.


Data sources and evidence include partner school data, district demographics, dual enrollment research, CTE pathway research, student teacher placement data, and credential completer data.

Results of this research include: The implementation of an educator affinity group (Educators Rising) for high school students and observation hours spent at local school district partnership schools as well as an educators club at the university level and intentional placements of undergraduates in school district partner schools. In addition, our research will result in professional development for university supervisors and cooperating teachers on how to best support student teachers in local school district partnership schools and the implementation of ongoing support during the first two years of teaching for BIPOC student teachers hired with the district.

Recent findings indicate a trend of fewer BIPOC students entering the teaching profession. This is because they feel under supported within these programs and “burn out” of the profession within 3-5 years (Hart Research Associates, 2022). Our study aligns with the system-wide, state university vision that educator preparation programs provide national leadership opportunities for BIPOC candidates to succeed and thrive in the teaching profession.

Authors

• Cassandra J. Drake, California State University - Stanislaus

• Shannon Panfilio-Padden, California State University - Stanislaus

• Ana Robles York, California State University - Stanislaus