Charleston County School District (CCSD) announces a new partnership with the University of South Carolina (UofSC) for a program that sets a pathway for men of color to become teachers.
District officials said with under 20% of teachers in the district of color and nearly half of the students being of a racial minority, they chose to redirect their recruitment. Men of CHS is an alternative certification pathway for non-degree seekers which grants a South Carolina teaching certification to candidates specifically in Early Childhood or Elementary Education. The free teaching certification pathway is free and aims to recruit and retain diverse male teacher candidates.
“This opportunity means a great deal to me as I get to help shape the lives of our future,” says Men of CHS candidate Taylor Wright. “I am appreciative of this opportunity and will do my best to ensure that I impact student lives in the best way possible.”
The Men of CHS cohort allows candidates to co-teach with current CCSD educators, following a traditional residency model. Participating schools are E.B. Ellington Elementary, North Charleston Elementary, Stono Park Elementary, and W.B. Goodwin Elementary.
“Being a part of this work with Men of CHS Teach is rewarding and makes me proud to be a product and employee of Charleston County School District,” says April Butler, CCSD’s Director of Pathways to Teaching. “The intentionality is inspiring and so I encourage candidates to apply and become change agents in the lives of our students.”
Men of CHS candidates will be provided professional development and mentorship throughout the program, guaranteeing that candidates have substantial support.
UofSC also partnered with Vorhees College in providing preparation for the Praxis examination to help with securing the mandatory content level exam for teaching in the state of South Carolina.
“The College of Education at UofSC could not be more excited to partner with CCSD on the Men of CHSTeach project,” explained Tommy Hodges, USC’s Dean of the College of Education. “As the state’s flagship institution, we carry with us a mission to address the teacher workforce needs throughout our state. This new pathway marries a number of recent innovations in teacher preparation and is consistent with our College’s commitment to further diversify the teacher workforce.
Eligible candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree in any major area, a minimum 2.75 GPA, and have not completed a student teaching program. Candidates who pass the interview and clearance process will be paid based on CCSD’s teacher salary schedule.
For more information, go to the website to watch the video and sign up.