The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) recently awarded SOE two grants totaling $750,000 over two years to develop LMU School of Education‘s capacity to implement undergraduate teacher education programs. The grants were secured by SOE faculty members Edmundo Edward F. Litton, Ed.D. and Annette Pijuan Hernandez, Ed.D. with support from director of grants administration Cynthia Ruiz.
The funds will be used to support the development, implementation, and expansion of the following programs:
- A Bachelor of Arts Degree in Child Development with a PK-3 ECE Specialist Teaching Credential, and a transfer pathway for this program, in partnership with Los Angeles Mission College, led by Litton
- A Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education and Learning Sciences via the redesign of LMU’s former Liberal Studies program, and a transfer pathway for this program, in partnership with El Camino College, Santa Monica College, and Pasadena City College, led by Hernandez
Undergraduate teacher education programs are an increasingly popular pathway for becoming a teacher in California. Under such programs, future teachers are simultaneously earning their baccalaureate degrees alongside their teaching credentials.
California, the nation’s most populous state, has suffered teacher shortages for years. According to the California Department of Education, there were more than 22,000 teacher vacancies in the state during the 2021-22 school year; factors contributing to the shortage include the rising cost of living, limited financial incentives, and the challenging working conditions teachers face.
