Sign Up for a Higher Ed Partnership Interest Meeting

Higher education partnerships offer opportunities to MCPS employees seeking teacher certification or licensure, continuing professional development, or who are pursuing career advancement. Register on Professional Development Online (PDO). Below, get more information on upcoming interest meetings:

Montgomery College, Culturally Responsive Educators Aspiring for Teaching Excellence (CREATE)
Monday, April 8; 4:30-5:30 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #89298

The CREATE Cohort Program will host an information session from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, on Zoom. To be eligible, employees should be current MCPS support professionals who hold permanent positions. Members of the cohort earn an associate of arts in teaching degree (AAT), the first two years of the required four-year degree. Montgomery College will assist employees who are new to college or who have some college credits in developing an academic plan that allows students to graduate in two to three years and seamlessly transfer to partner universities to complete the bachelor’s degree required to become a certified teacher.

For more information, email CREATEteachercohort@montgomerycollege.edu or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website. 

“How To Become a Teacher in MCPS” Information Session
Monday, April 8, 4:30–5:30 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #87524

Want to become a certified teacher in MCPS? Join us to learn how! Participants will examine the commitment MCPS has for support professionals who want to become teachers, understand the Maryland State Department of Education certification process, explore the various degree pathways for teacher certification and learn about the specific MCPS offices and departments that collaborate for employees pursuing careers in teaching. Click here for additional information. 

For questions, email Heather Harman or Brittany Mackel.

Moreland TEACH-NOW
Tuesdays, April 9 and April 23; 5-6 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #91498

Moreland University's TEACH-NOW certification program helps conditionally certified teachers earn their teaching licensure. This is an asynchronous online program that provides a flexible, affordable and accelerated pathway to certification.

During this information session:

• Learn about the program – schedule, learning goals and requirements.
• Complete the application. 
• Learn about the license process.
• Meet the Moreland team and an MCPS graduate of the program. 

For more information, contact Marjorie Guadarrama or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website. 

McDaniel College, Educational Leadership Program
Wednesday, April 10, 5-6 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #87534

McDaniel College will host an information session for its Administrator I certification and master’s degree programs. To be eligible for the leadership partnership program, individuals must have three or more years of successful classroom teaching experience and be tenured in MCPS.

For more information, contact Susan Flanders or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.

Bowie State University, Reading/Literacy Master’s Program
Wednesday, April 17; 4:30–5:30 p.m. 
RSVP on PDO, course #91696

This online graduate program in Reading/Literacy Education from Bowie State University leads to a Master of Education degree. The program is designed to prepare graduate candidates to focus on literacy instruction and to complete leadership experiences that prepare for transitioning into the role of a reading specialist. 

Classroom teachers who are not interested in a specialist leadership position may also consider the program to gain current research-based information to assist with effective literacy instruction with a particular focus on racially, culturally, linguistically and socioeconomically diverse students. 

The program is guided by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the International Literacy Association (ILA), Maryland Cultural Proficiency and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards. 

For more information, contact Dr. Jacquelyn Sweeney or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website. A flyer for this information session is available here.

University of Maryland (UMD) Creative Initiatives in Teacher Education (CITE) 
Wednesday, April 17, 4:30–5:30 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #87596

Have you considered becoming an elementary teacher in MCPS? The UMD CITE program prepares participants to become general education teachers in grades 1-6. This program is well matched to individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree and want to earn a master’s degree and certification in elementary education. Participants work as paraeducators during the program. CITE students begin internship experiences throughout the six-semester program and must be willing to work at least two hours a day in the general education elementary classroom with an MCPS mentor teacher. 

For more information, email Theresa Robinson or Carolina Napp-Avelli or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.

Notre Dame of Maryland University
Thursday, April 18, 6-7 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #87163

Notre Dame of Maryland University will host an information session to review their course offerings. While they will give an overview of all of their programs in the Department of Education, the bachelor’s degree pathway for certification in ESOL or special education and the graduate-level pathway (a non-degree, graduate-level, state-approved teacher education program leading to initial certification in ESOL, special education, math, computer science or Spanish) are the two MCPS partnership programs at NDMU.

For more information, contact Sarah Gruen or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.

Montgomery College Alternative Certification for Effective Teachers (ACET)
Thursday, April 18; 7-8 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #87653

ACET is an innovative teacher preparation program for those who wish to change careers and become teachers in MCPS teaching. For eligible employees with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree who are seeking teacher certification, Montgomery College offers the ACET program in the following critical need areas:

• Secondary: Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Technology Education and English
• Middle School: Mathematics and Science
• World Languages: French and Spanish (placement in middle and high schools, with PreK-12 certification)

Candidates must have a bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 2.75, expertise in the selected teaching field as supported by coursework, experience and qualifying assessment scores. For more information, contact Dr. Glenda Hernandez Tittle or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.