UC program director discusses Teacher Pathway program growth

The BIPOC Teacher Pathway program stemmed from a Diversity Working Group (started by former school director Mary Boat, PhD) that was charged with examining how we could build a better and more inclusive culture for students and staff. Currently, 94% of Ohio’s teachers identify as white whereas approximately one-third of PreK-12 students do not. This gap is especially troublesome because not only do outcomes improve for students of color with a more diverse teaching staff, but students of all races are led to better outcomes. 

Initially, students were recruited into the Middle Childhood program, but the program is expanding into other licensure areas. Special Education has already been added and Secondary Education will be included in the fall 2024 semester. Elementary Education licensure is also in the pipeline. 

The Grow Your Own (GYO) program model facilitates close relationships with area school districts. Their students are recruited into UC’s licensure programs and then hired back as teachers in the school districts after completing their degrees. Partnership schools are chosen based on their commitment to inclusivity and an established culture to support teachers. Current partners include Northwest, Colerain, North College Hill, Lockland, and Finneytown high schools. High school students do not need to attend these schools to be a part of our GYO program.

In the first year, we had 10 students and at the midpoint of our second year, 22 students are involved in the Pathway program. We have a goal of surpassing 30 students next year and serving 50 students in the 2026-27 school year.

A major goal for the UC BIPOC Teacher Pathway program is to remove and reduce known barriers for students of color with a focus on financial aid assistance. For the 2023-24 year, $59,000 was awarded to 19 students. Additionally, the state recently announced $7,500 scholarships for low-income students that are involved with a GYO program. Several other opportunities exist for current high school students that need financial aid assistance. 

• Financial Aid Workshops: We have collaborated with UC Admissions to host workshops at Cincinnati high schools.
• A six-week Summer Bridge Program available to incoming freshmen ensures that students are aware of academic, physical, and mental health resources before they arrive on campus.
• Improvements made to the First Year Orientation course and by connecting with both a peer and faculty mentor to aid in their adjustment to college. 

Once they are at UC, the program builds community and a sense of belonging during monthly Lunch and Learns that students, faculty, and support staff attend together. These lunches are intended to support the academic process and further build the Pathway community. Opportunities to be employed in education-related fields are available to current students and include:

• Teaching fellows for Breakthrough Cincinnati or UC’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Education Center
• Afternoon facilitators in programs like Black Boys in Technology

I am amazed by how far the program has come in such a short amount of time. It is a testament not only to the Executive Team, but the entire team in at CECH. We receive support from the Dean’s Office, the School Director’s office, Student Success Center, and Student Recruitment and Marketing. It truly takes a village! Perhaps the most surprising thing for me is how amazing the students have been. Not that they have been amazing, but how amazing. They want to attend the lunches and know the role they play in building our community. They take high school students on tours of UC and the college and have co-presented at regional conferences about their experiences in the pathway. They know how big of a deal this program is and they want to help build it.

As the program continues and grows, there is an expectation that more BIPOC students will be recruited, retained, and graduated and that PreK-12 partners and other Ohio schools will have an increased pool of BIPOC teachers to hire into their districts. Less than three years in, I cannot believe how far we have come. I am thrilled to be Director of the UC BIPOC Teacher Pathway program and I cannot wait to see what the next three years will bring.

Feature photo at top of Dr. Breiner with students provided by CECH.