Faculty, P-12 leaders partner to improve north central Indiana schools
Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner, center; with Dean Christopher Darr. left; Associate Dean Tara Kingsley, Chancellor Mark Canada, and Vice Chancellor Leah Nellis, at the CEP meeting.
When university teacher preparation programs collaborate with P-12 schools, children are the winners.
Indiana University Kokomo’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CEP) provides an opportunity for 38 partner districts in IU Kokomo’s 14-county service region to collaborate with each other, and with the IUK Division of Education.
“It unites district leaders, teachers, and university faculty to strengthen the teacher pipeline and ensure that shared efforts directly benefit classrooms and communities,” said Tara Kingsley, associate dean of education and professor of education.
The campus recently hosted 75 superintendents, principals, and other school leaders for the CEP’s fall meeting, which featured guest speaker Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner.
Kingsley provided updates on the campus’s pre-apprenticeship program approvals; the Tomorrow’s Teachers program, which allows high school students to take Division of Education classes during their junior or senior years; the recently-launched Master in Science of Reading program; the Pathways for Paraprofessionals program that provides opportunities for current school paraprofessionals to continue working in the schools while earning a teaching degree; and the Teacher Residency Program, which offers full-year paid student teaching experiences.
Jenner also gave an update from the state level, including Indiana’s current rank as sixth in the nation in reading; its combined $111 million investment in reading in partnership with the Lilly Endowment; growth in STEM education; changes to Indiana’s graduation requirements; and the Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed (GPS) program, which elevates academic mastery, career- and post-secondary readiness, and identifies credentials and experience, communication and collaboration, work ethic, and civic, financial, and digital literacy as characteristics that prepare students for employment, enrollment, or enlistment.
She thanked school leaders for what they are doing to improve outcomes for Indiana’s students.
“I hope in the midst of all the challenging times we have, that you’re taking time to celebrate with your teams the good things that are happening,” Jenner said. “There’s a lot of good happening in Indiana. It’s quite remarkable.”
Dr. Robert Taylor, executive director of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, commended those attending on their commitment to working together.
“As educational leaders at all levels, we cannot survive in isolation,” he said. “If you think you’re going to be a top leader and you’re going to do it all on your own, isolation will simply lead to your elimination. We must rely on collaboration. We must open our leadership to include others. It’s critical now.”
Chancellor Mark Canada encouraged those attending to reach out with ways IU Kokomo can work with schools.
“We’re all about collaboration and partnership here,” he said. “What are some other ways we can serve you, you can serve us, and we can win-win together?”
Kingsley hoped participants left reminded of the strength in partnership.
“None of us can tackle the challenges of teacher recruitment, preparation, and retention alone,” she said. “This conversation showed how much progress happens when higher education and P-12 work side by side, aligning our goals and sharing solutions. I also hope attendees walked away inspired by the momentum across our region and the real examples of collaboration already growing the next generation of teachers.”
The CEP provides an essential mechanism for district superintendents, principals, and teachers to provide input and feedback to IU Kokomo faculty regarding teacher preparation practices and priorities, as well as employment needs. As a result, programs are designed to better meet the needs of the local schools and communities. The CEP also provides an opportunity for innovative and collaborative partnerships.
The CEP districts and schools exclusively provide the educational settings and cooperating P-12 teachers for IU Kokomo students’ field-based experiential learning, which begins in the first semester of their freshman year and culminates in their capstone student teaching experience.
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.