Online teacher up-skilling program helping alleviate teacher shortage
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- There's a 100% online principal licensure program run by Colorado State University Global to up-skill educators to help with the teacher shortage. It's the only program of its kind accredited by the state of Colorado.
With the ongoing teacher shortage, some educators may be looking for opportunities to up-skill and advance their careers.
Jody Cameron has been a teacher since 1997 and recently went through the program to get her certification to be an assistant principal.
"I wanted to go into administration," Academy School District 20 Assistant Principal Jody Cameron said. "I come from a long line of educators. My mom was a teacher and my dad was a middle school principal. I stayed on the teacher side, I was comfortable and happy there. I love kids and working with kids. Especially at the middle school level. But I learned that I have the capability to be a good leader."
Program Director Dr. Christina Agvent says up-skilling can help alleviate the teacher shortage by creating a roadmap for new teachers to want to come into and eventually advance into leadership.
"As some of our teachers move up into leadership opportunities, they're serving as role models for teachers who might be entering the system to fill some of those vacancies," Agvent said.
"If the people moving up are really strong leaders and they care about relationships with their staff, students and their families, then that's gonna be attractive to new teachers because they know the leadership that they're moving into is gonna make them feel important and like they have a voice," Cameron said.
Not only is this helping with the teacher shortage, but also provides educators with a pathway to more leadership opportunities.
With leadership comes more responsibilities, higher pay, professional development, and potentially higher job satisfaction.
"You're looking at leading a school and changing the future of education," Agvent said. "You have the opportunity to create new initiatives, start new projects, and dig deeper into your school to solve challenges educators are facing."
But Jody says she thinks it's important for people who want to be in leadership roles to start as teachers so they understand that perspective when making decisions.
"I think you need to understand the teaching perspective," Cameron said. "What teachers go through to plan and structuring their class and how they deal with kids."
If you're a teacher in Colorado interested in learning more, you can visit the CSU Global website.
