Almost 75% of public schools nationwide have difficulty filling vacant teaching positions, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. In November, the Indiana Department of Education reported nearly 1,370 teacher vacancies.
Indiana University, which confers nearly one-quarter of all education degrees awarded in the state, is closing that gap through innovative education career pathways that help high schoolers and aspiring educators become licensed teachers.
Head start for high schoolers
Howard County’s Western School Corp. was having difficulty hiring teachers in 2018, a problem exacerbated by a reduction of high school graduates pursuing education degrees. The superintendent shared an idea with Leah Nellis, who was the dean of the IU School of Education in Kokomo at the time, for high school students to take dual-credit college education classes. Nellis built on the concept, incorporating hands-on classroom experience and access to IU student support services, and launching Tomorrow’s Teachers with four partner school corporations.
Marlie Chaffee was one of the program’s first participants, taking dual-credit classes in 12th grade. She chose IU Kokomo for college, graduating in 2022, and is now an elementary school teacher in Indiana.
“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher because I love kids,” she said when she was a junior at IU Kokomo. “I loved my teachers growing up, and I wanted to be just like them. I knew I wanted to go to IU Kokomo, too, and I saw it as a great opportunity to get my foot in the door.”
WATCH: Tomorrow’s Teachers at IU Kokomo
Nellis has gone on to lead the IU Office of School Partnerships, expanding the Tomorrow’s Teachers model to five campuses. The program now falls under the umbrella of a larger effort called Pathways Plus, which provides high school students the opportunity to explore a variety of future career paths, including education.
IU East’s education pathway, called Tomorrow’s Teachers Today, was launched in 2023 with 14 students at three partner high schools. Four students from the inaugural cohort are currently enrolled at IU East, one of which is Audrey Bane.
“I also liked how it was an introduction to college, especially since I chose to attend IU East. I already knew how to deal with the differences when I started my fall semester, and it made the transition to college less stressful for me.”
IU Southeast’s program is in its second year, with 16 students pursuing the education pathway. Tabatha Farnsley, Pathways Plus coordinator at IU Southeast, said the classroom experiences are especially valuable.
“Participating students enjoy coming to campus for classes,” she said. “Through pre-advising and other college navigation and preparedness activities, high schoolers recognize a greater readiness on their part to be college students.”
However, the teacher vacancies are especially prevalent in early childhood education. A recent IU Public Policy Institute report on the state of early care and education in Indiana reveals that Indiana is at the lower end of what is considered moderate access to child care, and no counties meet the threshold for providing adequate access to child care.
Following a similar model, the state launched the Early Childhood Education Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program, making the School of Education at IU Indianapolis and School of Education at IU Kokomo related technical instruction providers that offer dual-credit courses and training to high school students.
Pathways for aspiring teachers
For those who have already graduated high school but need a job while they pursue a degree, IU offers additional pathways. The U.S. Department of Labor recently approved IU as a group sponsor for a new Registered Apprenticeship Program. It integrates on-the-job learning with academic instruction and professional mentoring, offering a paid apprenticeship to participants in their home school district while they earn their bachelor’s degree and full state teaching licensure in elementary, special or secondary education.
“Perhaps someone has some college, or no college, and would love to be a teacher, but they also need to work,” Nellis said. “This program allows them to work at a school in a paraprofessional role and earn an income while getting an education.”
Another program benefits people like Jessica Harris-Short, who already had a bachelor’s degree but wanted to become a licensed teacher. She worked as an instructional assistant but is now a fourth-grade teacher in Lawrence Township thanks to the District-Based Alternative Certification program at the IU School of Education in Indianapolis.
Developed and led by Paula Magee, clinical professor of science education, the program enrolls participants in graduate school and integrates paid student teaching experiences into their existing staff positions. This enabled Harris-Short to fulfill licensure requirements while maintaining her income.
“I highly recommend this program to my colleagues; anyone wanting to become an educator would greatly benefit from participating,” Short said. “Becoming a teacher changed my life.”
“Regardless of someone’s education level, at IU there is an entry point and a pathway to become a licensed teacher.”