Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor-based Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) are working together on a Paraprofessional-to-Teacher Certification Pilot Program to invest in existing public school employees who want to become teachers.
Paraprofessionals work directly in classrooms to support small groups or one-on-one learning. The pilot program, made possible by a special waiver granted by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), covers most of the costs of EMU’s teacher preparation courses, including books and fees, for dedicated para pros already working in area schools.
The program has two tracks, and upon completion of the program, para pros will be certified special education teachers specifically for students with emotional impairments or learning disabilities.
“The pandemic teacher shortage crisis has significantly affected Michigan, which had maintained a well-balanced teacher supply system until recent years,” says Myung-Sook Koh, professor of special education and coordinator of the Paraeducators to Special Educators program at Eastern. “Teacher shortages have become a chronic phenomenon across the state’s school districts — regardless of suburban, urban, rural, or high- versus low-paying school districts.”
Dave Winters, professor and head of EMU’s Department of Special Education and Communication Sciences and Disorders, has worked on the program since its inception along with a team of educators at the college. Winters teaches one of the courses and will pass the torch to his colleague, who will help oversee some of the day-to-day coordination. The program has had three successful cohorts with 25 students and plans to graduating its first class in fall 2023.
“The certification program addresses the critical shortage of special education teachers in the state,” Winters says.
According to Winters, the program is successful for many reasons. The school districts and the university have worked to remove barriers. Students travel to one location for an in-person class once per week and build strong connections in the classroom.
He adds that one of the best things about this program is it enhances what the students already are doing in the classroom because they’re familiar with their student population.
“It’s been exciting to hear, not only from the students but also from administrators, the change in their work even though they haven’t completed the program,” Winters says “The students have become substitutes, and they’re starting to step into other roles temporarily while finishing the program.”
Justin Harper, a student in the pilot’s first cohort, says the program has given him a renewed focus on graduation. “Before this program, I was unsure when I would complete my degree because I mostly paid out of pocket,” he says. “There were many semesters I could not attend school because of finances, and the times I could attend, I often took a class or two at a time.
“The program exceeds my expectations not only because of the great instructors but also the incredible paraeducators from cohort one that shares their wide variety of experiences that help broaden my horizons,” Harper says. “The teachers are amazing and want us to be successful, which I appreciate. They give us practical work to help us once we become teachers.”
Naomi Norman, superintendent of the WISD, says: “Collectively, public schools are the second-largest employer in our county, and 10 percent of school staff are paraprofessionals already working in our classrooms. Our parapros are living and working in our communities. They are already invested in our students and in our schools, and we want to make sure there is a pathway for them to advance professionally.”
Eastern officials say they hope to work with the Michigan Department of Education and other school districts to expand the program.
