RICHMOND, Ky. — As school districts across the state grapple with teacher shortages, some colleges and universities are offering new routes to get more people qualified to fill those classroom vacancies. This fall, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) will become the first public university in the Commonwealth to offer an Option 9 program, an alternative route to teacher certification created during the 2022 regular session.

What You Need To Know

  •  EKU becomes the first public university to offer Option 9 alternative teaching certification program

  •  The program would be available for elementary education this fall

  • Option 9 allows people to get an education degree in three years, while also working in schools in a non-teaching role
  • EKU partnered with four education cooperatives and their school districts

It allows someone to get a Bachelor’s degree and initial teacher certification in a condensed 3-year period, all while that person can earn a salary working in a non-teaching position for a school district.

“They would have a commitment from a school or a school district to be enrolled in school while they have that employment. The responsibility on the university side is to be able to offer whatever degree it is in three years,” said Gill Hunter, EKU’s Dean of the College of Education.

Hunter said he suspects this option will appeal most to two types of prospective students. The first would be regular college-aged students who are certain education is what they want to pursue prior to entering college.

This option, Hunter said, will also likely appeal to people who have been working in schools in non-teaching roles for some time now, but want to become a teacher. With this path, they could continue doing their job and getting paid for it, while also earning the degree and credentials to lead a class on their own someday.

Hunter said the hope is that this new option at EKU would help bring in a new wave of educators.

“I believe education is the most important job in America. I don’t apologize for believing that. I know there are some professions that would argue theirs is more important, but I am committed to the prospect of education changing the world,” said Hunter.

EKU has partnered with the following education cooperatives and their school districts in offering Option 9:

  • Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative (CKEC) and its 24 school district members
  • Kentucky Educational Development Corporation (KEDC) and its 74 school district members
  • West Kentucky Educational Cooperative (WKEC) and its 26 school district members
  • Southeast South-Central Educational Cooperative (SCEC) and its 26 school district members

“We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with Eastern Kentucky University in the implementation of Option 9 programming. This partnership will give our districts an additional tool they can use to support those who are passionate about pursuing teaching as a profession,” said David Young, CEO of the CKEC.

This fall, the Option 9 route will be available at EKU for people pursuing an elementary education degree. People in the program would work in local school districts during the day and take online courses from EKU at night and over the summer. Hunter said in the final year of the program, they would also fulfil student teaching requirements.

Pending final approval, EKU will also offer a 100% online elementary education degree program.

Related Stories