Higher Education Partnerships

The Office of Human Resources and Development works with local universities to provide tuition reimbursement and additional support at the undergraduate and graduate levels for individuals seeking teacher certification, continuing professional development, or pursuing career advancement opportunities.  Partnership programs focus on expanding the candidate pool with respect to applicants representing diverse backgrounds and systemic areas of critical need.  These programs involve extensive MCPS field experiences, supplemental training, and supervisory support by colleges, universities, and MCPS.

•  Frequently Asked Questions 
•  Summary Chart: Teacher Preparation Programs 
•  Professional Development Schools 

 

Partnerships for Teacher Preparation

The partnerships for teacher preparation target employees who want to pursue careers in teaching.  These partnerships provide pathways for individuals to meet the requirements in the state of Maryland to earn initial teaching certification. 

• Johns Hopkins Special Education Teacher Immersion Training (SET-IT)
• Montgomery College Alternative Certification for Effective Teaching (ACET)
• Montgomery College Culturally Responsive Educators Aspiring for Teaching Excellence (CREATE)
• Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU)
• Towson University Master of Arts in Teaching for Special Education (MAT) 
• University of Maryland Creative Initiatives in Teacher Education (CITE)
• University of Maryland University College Pathways (UMUC)
• University of Maryland Baltimore County for ESOL
• Washington Adventist University PRAXIS CORE Intensive Support Course

 Partnerships for Continuing Education and Graduate Certificates

The partnerships for continuing education and graduate certificates target employees who hold current teaching certification and who want to continue their education by pursuing post-baccalaureate certificates and/or master's degrees in content areas other than their initial certification.

• McDaniel College Equity and Excellence in Education Certificate
• Towson University Master of Education in Special Education
• University of Maryland Master of Education in Middle School Mathematics

 Partnerships for School Leadership Development

The partnerships for school leadership development target employees who are experienced, tenured teachers who want to pursue school-based leadership or supervisory positions within MCPS. These partnerships offer pathways to earn a master's degree or certificate leading to Administrator I (ADMIN I) certification in Maryland. To be eligible for partnerships in school leadership, individuals should have 5 or more consecutive years of successful classroom teaching experience and tenure.

• Hood College Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership or Administrator I Certificate
• McDaniel College Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction for School Leadership or Administrator I Certificate

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Partnerships for Teacher Preparation

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Johns Hopkins University--Special Education Teacher Immersion Training (SET-IT)

Certification Area: special education 
Eligibility: Accepted students, pending budget approval, will be employed as special education paraeducators during the program of study and are eligible for tuition reimbursement 
Length of Study: 2 year program 
Degree: Master of Science 
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (JHU) Dr. Laurie deBettencourt, debetten@jhu.edu
Program Website: JHU SET-IT 
Deadline: Fall 2019 cohort is closed. The next cohort will begin May 2020.  The application deadline is April 1, 2020.

 

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Montgomery College Alternative Certification for Effective Teaching (ACET)

Certification Area: secondary math, secondary science, chemistry, physics, technology education, computer science, Spanish, French
Eligibility: Permanent, temporary, and non-employees
Length of Study: 6 month teaching institute and internship + 1 year resident teaching
Degree: non degree--State of Maryland approved alternative certification
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (MC) Debra Poese, debra.poese@montgomerycollege.edu
Program Website: MC ACET
Deadline: Winter/Spring 2020 cohort is September 20, 2019

 

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 Montgomery College Culturally Responsive Educators Aspiring for Teaching Excellence (CREATE)

Certification Area: early childhood, elementary, special education, secondary math, secondary science
Eligibility: Support professional in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: Varies – approximately 60 credits or first two years or a 4 year degree
Degree: Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) – which transfer to any state of Maryland university and many private universities
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or Dr. Zeporia Smith, zeporia.smith@montgomerycollege.edu
Program Website: MC CREATE
Deadline : Accepting Applications 

 

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Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU)

Certification Area: ESOL, secondary math, computer science, Spanish
Eligibility: Support professional in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: multiple years
Degree: Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees; alternative certification 
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (NDMU-undergraduate) Lindsey Robinson, lrobinson@ndmu.edu  
Program Website: NDMU
Deadline: Accepting applications

 

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Towson University Master of Arts (MAT) in Teaching Special Education 

Certification Area: special education
Eligibility: Support professional in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: 3 years – 1 course approximately every 8 weeks
Degree: Master of Teaching (MAT)
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (TU) Eric Kuhn, epkuhn@towson.edu and Kim Casimbon, kcasimbon@towson.edu 
Program Website: TU MAT in SPED at USG
Deadline: Applications accepted in fall 2019 for fall 2020 cohort

 

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 University of Maryland Creative Initiatives in Teacher Education (CITE)

Certification Area: Elementary Education—general education grades 1-6--Cite candidates can choose a focus area of ESOL or special education preparing individuals meet the diverse needs of students; however, the initial certification is general education elementary.
Eligibility: Support professional in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: 2.5 years
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (UMD) Theresa Robinson, tnebrob1@umd.edu and Carolina Napp-Avelli, cnapp@umd.edu
Program Website: UMD CITE
Deadline: Accepting applications

 

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University of Maryland University College (UMUC)

Certification Area:computer science, mathematics, biology, chemistry, earth space science, or physics
Eligibility: Support professional in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: multi-year; 1-2 years in the MAT program
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (UMUC) Cheri Temoney, cheri.temoney@umuc.edu
Program Website: UMUC
Program Deadline: Accepting applications

 

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University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Certification Area: TESOL
Eligibility: Support professional in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: 2.5 years
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (UMBC) Dr. Mary Tabaa, tabaa@umbc.edu 
Program Website: UMBC TESOL
Deadline: Accepting applications

 

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Washington Adventist University PRAXIS CORE Support

Content: Provide instruction geared to meet specific needs for each PRAXIS test section
Eligibility: Support professionals in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: 5 sessions; 1 undergraduate credit
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (WAU) Dr. Mike Harris
Program Website: Registration is Now Open>> WAU PRAXIS Training
Deadline: Registration has closed.

 

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  Partnerships for Continuing Education and

 Graduate Certificates

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 McDaniel College and MCEA Equity and Excellence in Education

Eligibility: MCPS support, professional, and administrative employees
Length of Study: 2 years
Certification Area: graduate certificate
Program Requirements: bachelor’s degree
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (MCPS/McDaniel) Heather Yuhaniek, Heather_E_Yuhaniak@mcpsmd.org 
Program Website: McDaniel Equity and Excellence in Education
Deadline: Accepting applications in spring 2020 for fall 2020 cohorts

 

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Towson University Master of Education in Special Education (MEd)

Eligibility: teachers certified in content areas other than special education
Length of Study: 3 years – 1 course approximately every 8 weeks
Degree: Master of Education
Certification Area: special education
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (TU) Eric Kuhn, epkhun@towson.edu  and Kim Casimbon, kcasimbon@towson.edu 
Program Website: Towson at USG MEd in Special Education
Deadline: Applications accepted in fall 2020 for fall 2021 cohort

 

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University of Maryland Master of Education in Middle School Mathematics

Eligibility: certified elementary, middle, or special education, teachers 
Length of Study: 3 years 
Degree: Master of Education
Certification Area: add-on math endorsement for certified teachers
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (UMD) Beatriz Quintos, bquintos@umd.edu
Program Website: UMD MEd in Middle Grades Mathematics
Deadline: Accepting applications

 

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Partnerships for School Leadership Development

 

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Hood College Educational Leadership

Eligibility: MCPS employees with 5 or more consecutive years of successful classroom teaching experience and tenure 
Length of Study: 3 years master’s degree; 2 years graduate certificate
Certification Area: Administrator I
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (Hood College) Dan Shea, shea@hood.edu
Program Website: Hood College for Educational Leadership
Deadline: Fall 2019 cohorts closed. Fall 2020 cohort applications will be accepted in late fall 2019. 

 

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McDaniel College in Curriculum and Instruction with a Leadership Focus

Eligibility: MCPS employees with 5 or more consecutive years of successful classroom teaching experience and tenure 
Length of Study: 3 years master’s degree; Administrator I Certification
Certification Area: Administrator I
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Sydney Pinkard, Sydney_K_Pinkard@mcpsmd.org or (McDaniel) Andrea Selivan, aselivan@mcdaniel.edu
Program Website: McDaniel College
Deadline: Accepting applications for a spring 2020 cohort for the master's degree pathway only.  2019-2020 Certificate pathway cohort is closed.