LEXINGTON, Ky. — Para-educators in Kentucky’s elementary school classrooms have a new option for taking the next steps in their career.
Option 9 is the new three-year route to earning a teaching certification being offered to those looking to become full teachers.
Eastern Kentucky University’s Nicola Mason, who serves as department chair of teaching learning and educational leadership in the College of Education and Applied Sciences, says this could be a boost for working families.
“These are potential parents that have been para-educators in the schools and may come to us with some credit but a lot of them are coming with absolutely no college credit whatsoever,” Mason said.
Kentucky lawmakers approved Option 9 as an emergency resolution in July 2020 to help shore up a teacher shortage. Mason says EKU’s program is online conveniently for students off-campus.
“We’re seeing a bigger population of students that want that online program instead of a traditional program because they don’t have access to travel to campus and things like that,” Mason said.
All EKU students seeking an elementary teaching degree need to have 200 clinical hours in schools. Para-educators have an advantage as they can take part in the program and stay connected to hands-on work inside the schools they currently aid.
Elizabeth Smith, dean for the College of Education and Applied Sciences, says EKU has been supportive of Option 9.
“We are always going to need teachers no matter what happens in the future. Teachers are always going to be the bedrock of our society along with nurses, you know, the medical field. We need teachers, and we are going to continue to be innovative, and how we prepare the next generation of teachers,” she said.
The program is a significantly quicker process, but students are expected to learn with the same curriculum and requirements. Smith trusts this process can make a difference in para-educators’ lives and wants to work with legislators to help make the program more affordable for students.
“My mom is a para-educator in Oklahoma and years ago she wanted to become a teacher. It wasn’t affordable and she couldn’t do it while she was still working, so I’m thrilled to be a part of this program in Kentucky that allows folks who are paraeducators to become teachers and have their classroom,” she shared.
Mason says with a teacher shortage they want to see these students earn certifications.