TITLE

Utah Transition to Teaching Alternative Program (UTTAP)

HISTORY

UTTAP was initiated through a Title II grant under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), awarded in 2002 to a partnership of the Utah Office of Education, Salt Lake Community College, Utah Education Network, and five high poverty school districts: Duchesne, Grand, Piute, Ogden, and San Juan.

MOTIVATION

To provide a streamlined alternative program that would train, support, and retain teachers in high-need areas.

GRADE LEVELS AND/OR SUBJECT AREA(S) COVERED

Needs assessments studies identified math, science, fine arts, English as a second language, technology, and elementary teaching as areas with teacher shortages. Another needs assessment will be conducted in January 2004.

WHO OPERATES

Utah Office of Education (USOE).

REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER

Candidates must:

Hold a bachelor's degree in one of the high-needs areas; and

Successfully complete a background clearance check.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The program has four distinct parts: recruitment, preparation, internship, and professional support.

Target pools for recruitment of candidates include: substitutes; classroom aides; foreign-credentialed educators; new university graduates; and career changers.

Twenty-five (25) individuals will be accepted into the program and will attend a streamlined curriculum, consisting of: instruction; assessment and technology; classroom management and child development; teaching the exceptional student; multicultural and bilingual society; and reading and writing in the content area. Some participants will need additional coursework. Tuition scholarships will be provided.

Participants will be placed in high-need schools as interns and will teach for one year.

Professional support includes: working with a trained mentor for three (3) years; classroom observations; developing portfolio; and achieving a passing score on the Praxis I Principles of Learning and Teaching exam.

Participants must agree to teach for three (3) years in the high-need area or repay the tuition scholarship.

NUMBER OF CREDIT HOURS TO COMPLETE

The number varies with each candidate, but the core curriculum is 15 semester hours. Additional hours are required through a strong mentor/professional support program.

WHO EVALUATES

The principal evaluates the participants. Numerous levels of program evaluation are in place.

LENGTH OF TIME

Each cohort is three years. There are three cohorts. The grant is funded for five years. Program participants are licensed in one year.