Higher Education Partnerships Offering Virtual Information Sessions

The Office of Human Resources and Development, in partnership with local colleges and universities, is continuing to recruit for employees who want to begin teacher preparation programs, or for current teachers and other employees who want to pursue continuing education opportunities for the 2020-2021 school year. Interested employees should register for available information sessions or email the college and university contacts directly for details.
Teacher Preparation Partnerships
Teacher Preparation Partnerships are pathways available to supporting services employees seeking initial certification to teach in specific content areas. Upcoming information sessions are listed below. RSVP on Professional Development Online (PDO) to receive a meeting link and detailed program information.
Montgomery College CREATE and ACET Partnerships
MCPS and Montgomery College (MC) are offering the Culturally Responsive Educators Aspiring for Teaching Excellence (CREATE) and the Alternative Certification for Effective Teachers (ACET) programs. Members of the MCPS CREATE Teacher Cohort Program earn the Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree, the first two years of the required four-year degree. MC will assist employees who are new to college or who have some college credits to develop an academic plan that allows students to graduate in three years and seamlessly transfer to partner universities to complete the bachelor’s degree required to become a certified teacher. A virtual information meeting will be held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5. RSVP on PDO using course #89298.
For eligible employees with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree who are seeking teacher certification, MC offers the Alternative Certification for Effective Teachers (ACET) program in the following critical need areas:
- Secondary: Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Technology Education and English
- Middle School: Mathematics and Science
- World Languages: French and Spanish (placement in middle and high schools, with Pre K-12 certification)
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) and University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
UMGC and UMBC prepare supporting services employees to become teachers for secondary (Grades 7-12) science, math and computer science. UMBC prepares supporting services employees who already hold bachelor’s degrees to become ESOL teachers. Rolling admission is available. Email Cheri.Temoney@umgc.edu for more information. RSVP with UMGC here. The virtual information meeting will be from 4:30–5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6. RSVP on PDO using course #87616.
University of Maryland (UMD) Creative Initiatives in Teacher Education (CITE)
UMD CITE participants, who hold bachelor’s degrees, work as paraeducators during the program. CITE prepares participants to become general education teachers in grades 1-6. The next cohort will begin January 2021. The virtual information meeting will be from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13. RSVP on PDO using course #87596. For more information, review the UMD CITE brochure.
Continuing Education and Educational Leadership Partnerships
Continuing Education and Educational Leadership partnerships are continuing to recruit and offer virtual information sessions for interested employees who hold initial teacher certification.
McDaniel College offers master’s degree and graduate degree pathways for individuals pursuing educational leadership and administrator certification. To be eligible, employees should have five or more consecutive years of successful classroom teaching experience and tenure. Cohorts begin October 2020. The virtual information sessions are at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4. For more information on admissions, call 410-857-2516 or email gradadms@mcdaniel.edu.
Interested in Supporting a Future Educator?
Every year, MCPS hosts between 250 to 300 college and university student interns completing a student teaching internship, clinical or capstone experience. If you are interested in supervising and mentoring a college or university student intern, please complete this interest survey.
Interested candidates must be tenured, meeting standards and hold certification in the content areas they teach. Potential supervising teachers must model effective instructional strategies and be skilled in building positive relationships with students. They must also be flexible and allow interns the opportunity to apply research-based practices they learn in the teacher preparation programs.
College and university student interns have experience with virtual learning and the support of college and university faculty supervisors. MCPS teachers are eligible for a stipend for intern supervision.
Expressing interest via the survey link does not guarantee MCPS teachers an intern placement or a commitment to host; it offers a chance to learn more about available opportunities.