Mid Michigan College partners with Alma College for Paraeducator to Special Education Teacher Program
The program is a pathway designed for working adults who would like to become special education teachers.
Mid Michigan College and Alma College have partnered to offer a pathway that will give individuals working as paraeducators the ability to become special education teachers in four years, with guidance from both colleges along the way, plus financial help to pay for the education toward a new career.
According to an article on Mid Michigan College’s website, Eric Blackhurst, who serves as the Interim President at Alma College, was quoted as saying of the partnership, “We are excited to offer this opportunity along with Mid and are grateful to all of those involved in seeing it through. Paraeducators who are already working with students with disabilities are well suited to help fill these critical roles, but they need degree options that fit into their lives. That’s where Mid and Alma come in—removing barriers to provide a pathway for paraeducators to achieve their goal of teacher licensure.”
The Paraeducator to Special Education Teacher Program is designed to support working adult students make the change to a special education teaching career. The program offers year-round classes, including nights and weekends, to accommodate job and family commitments while taking classes. Students will begin the program at Mid Michigan College while taking one class from Alma College, which is a career development course. After their first two years, students will take Alma College’s Mild to Moderate Disabilities major, which is a special education teacher licensure program. Throughout the whole experience, students will receive guidance from both colleges.
Staff from both colleges have shared their enthusiasm for the pathway program and explained the ways each is dedicated to helping students overcome any barriers that may be standing in their way of completing their education and becoming a special education teacher, which is a profession facing staffing shortages in the state of Michigan.
Beth Binder, the Director of Admissions at Mid Michigan College, shared, “We want to encourage paraeducators to contact us about this opportunity. Investing in your education is a big step and resources like Michigan Reconnect and the Alma Paraeducator Scholarship are available to help students offset financial barriers.”
The Michigan Reconnect program, which gives students over the age of 25 who are eligible for the program tuition coverage, can significantly offset the costs of participating in the Paraeducator to Special Education Teacher Program. Alma College also offers its Alma College Paraeducator to Special Education Teacher Scholarship.
Peggy Yates, who serves as Alma College’s Director of Special Education Teacher Preparation, said, “Alma’s commitment to financial support through the Paraeducator to Special Education Teacher Scholarship addresses a significant barrier that often hinders program completion. This generosity toward supporting future special education teachers holds the potential to make a profound, positive impact on students with disabilities across the state of Michigan.”
For more information about Mid Michigan College, visit the school’s website.
More information about Alma College can be found on its website.