Grant Title: Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program
Fresno County Office of Education Consortium
Funding Agency: California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
Funding Cycle: 3 - 7 years (Dependent upon State Budget)

Start Date: July 1, 2000

This project forms a consortium among Fresno County Office of Education and local school districts. Program purpose is to develop a career ladder that will enable high school graduates and school paraprofessionals to become certificated teachers. Scholarships and support services will be offered to: high school seniors who are completing the Fresno Regional Occupational Program's Careers in Education, paraprofessionals enrolled in Fresno City College's Education Career Track, and other para-educators within the consortium's service region who are eligible to enroll in teacher preparation. Program benefits include tuition and books as well as participation in a Paraprofessional Academy focusing on professional development, leadership skills and literacy training.

Establishing a bridge of support from high school through credential completion and strengthening teacher education linkages among Fresno Regional Occupational Program, State Center Community Colleges, Fresno Pacific University and CSU, Fresno are major goals. Promising high school students with a commitment to teach now have incentive and a well-defined career ladder to enter the profession. The program will maintain one hundred twenty-five (125) participants per year, producing approximately one hundred fifty (150) credentialed teachers over the next three to five years.

Qualifications necessary to apply are:

d B average in high school or previous college work
d Written recommendation from a principal and teacher
d Commitment to work in a classroom while pursuing degree
d Commitment to participate in the Paraprofessional Academy