Hartnell-CSUMB Teacher Pathway Program Receives Funding to Support Continued Program Growth

SEASIDE, Calif., August 23, 2018 – Hartnell College and California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) joint Teacher Pathway Program has received a $335,000 grant from The Claire Giannini Fund that will help ensure the program’s continued growth and success. With the support of the Claire Giannini Fund, Hartnell College and CSUMB have built the Teacher Pathway Program with an eye towards sustainability; ensuring this project continues to prepare fully qualified elementary and special education teachers to all of Monterey County communities well into the future.

Students from the second cohort of the Teacher Pathway Program visited CSUMB’s University Center September 22, 2017 and were greeted by the Otter Men's and Women's basketball teams.

The first cohort of the program, which began fall of 2016 and is now entering its third year, achieved an 86% graduation rate earning their Associates Degree for Transfer (AA-T) in two years, a much higher graduation rate than students enrolled in a traditional program. The first cohort of the program is now working to earn their bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and teaching credential at CSUMB.

“The Teacher Pathway Program is our collaborative "grow-our-own" solution to addressing the regional teacher shortage,” said CSUMB College of Education Dean Jose Luis Alvarado. “The program has achieved incredible success, as evidenced by high retention rates and a high graduation rate at the AA level for the first cohort. Additionally, the structured pathway reduces the time-to-transfer, while developing a strong teacher workforce that taps into local talent to improve the college readiness of youth in our communities."

This unique partnership, along with the streamlined program design, reduces the time it takes to transfer, thereby reducing costs to the participants. The continued success of Teacher Pathway Program has resulted in increased enrollment each year and expansion to new locations.

"Due to the success and popularity of this program, it has expanded into new locations and grown in numbers by 80%, from 28 students in cohort #1 to 38 students in cohort #2 in South Monterey County. The growth continues with 42 students in the third cohort in Salinas," said Hartnell College Superintendent/President Dr. Willard Lewallen. "We are incredibly proud of this program and its positive impact on not only the students, but the community at-large."

The Claire Giannini Fund, an independent foundation, has provided seed funding for the Teacher Pathway. Trustee Betsy Buchalter Adler noted that the Fund, which will sunset at the end of 2020, views the Teacher Pathway as one of its best investments. “Our founder dedicated the Fund to the education and welfare of young people 18 and under. I am confident that she would be glad to know that her legacy has helped to educate the next generation of Monterey County’s students by helping Hartnell College and CSUMB to educate their teachers.” Adler added that she is particularly impressed by the collaboration between CSUMB and Hartnell. "These two institutions have worked together to use their resources productively, avoiding duplication and enhancing each other's strengths. I hope community colleges and universities elsewhere in California will adopt this model."