Since 1993, Norfolk State University has collaborated with Old Dominion University and Norfolk Public Schools to train substitute teachers, teacher aides and other paraprofessionals to become certified teachers (Phase 1). The project was expanded to include Portsmouth Public Schools in 1998 (Phase II). Building upon a strong history of collaboration with the participating school systems, this project, funded by the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund and coordinated by the Southern Education Foundation Incorporated, was initiated to respond to predicted teacher shortages overall and in high need areas, and the discrepancy between the diversity of the public school student population and the diversity of public school teachers. In its seventh year of operation, the project's goals are to (1) increase the quantity of teachers specifically targeting minorities and males employed by the school systems, (2) increase the quality of instruction for urban children, and (3) enhance the teacher preparation and in-service teacher development programs at the university.

Involving key persons and seeking input from school personnel, classroom teachers, paraprofessionals and university personnel led to the development of the following objectives for the project:

• To recruit teacher aides, substitute teachers and other paraprofessionals in the Norfolk and Portsmouth Public Schools to enroll in programs leading toward teacher certification.
• To provide for the participants a carefully designed, comprehensive teacher education program that meets the teacher certification requirements in the Commonwealth of Virginia and satisfies the standards of the major professional organizations in various academic fields (i.e. the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics).
• To provide a target focus on knowledge identified for successful teaching in urban schools.
• To design and implement an evaluation and assessment strategy uniquely suited to the program.
• To provide a series of seminars and other experiences in teaching in urban schools for in-service teachers, supervisors of teacher aides and other program participants.
• To provide follow-up support for program graduates during the first two years of employment in the participating school systems.
• To provide academic and non-academic support services for all students, if needed, to enhance retention and graduation rate.
• To develop a successful university/school collaborative model.

Participants experienced a careful selection and screening process prior to admission to the program. At the minimum, participants were required to have at least two years of college with at least 60 semester hours of transferable credit toward an educational program, a grade point average of 2.3 or better, a commitment to teaching children in urban areas, and a commitment to teaching in one of the high need areas identified by the school systems. Applicants had to be employed by the participating school systems and be strongly recommended. In addition, they completed an intense interview by a Selection Committee composed of public school personnel, university personnel and community representatives.

Upon admission, Pathways' Scholars proceeded through a carefully designed teacher preparatory program that met their individual needs, the certification requirements for the Commonwealth of Virginia, and national accreditation standards. The university traditionally had been successful in working with adult urban students and multicultural education, and issues of diversity had been embraced by the faculty for some years. However, it was determined early that changes in class scheduling, instructional delivery, support systems and program enhancements emphasizing teaching in the urban classroom were needed to meet the needs of project participants.

All classes were scheduled in the evenings and on weekends. To enhance the regular education program, monthly workshops, seminars and an annual conference for participants, school administrators and classroom teachers were established to focus on curriculum and other areas of working with urban students. To bridge the gap between theory and practice, classroom teachers, principals, and college faculty team-taught classes and presented in workshops and seminars. A reading list and five instructional modules were developed focusing on multicultural education and the urban student that could be used independently by participants or faculty members in the regular education program. Pathways' Scholars were actively encouraged to share their experiences in seminars and through their required journal writing based upon an average of 12 years of working in urban classrooms as paraprofessionals. Their knowledge base and experiences provided the foundation for much discussion, expansion and reflection.

Academic and non-academic support services were provided to participants as needed. Academic support services included:

1. academic reinforcement in mathematics, reading, writing through several campus academic learning centers;
2. preparation for PRAXIS, the state licensure examination, via a course, individualized instruction and Learning Plus, a software package;
3. tutoring;
4. 80% tuition support; and
5. a book stipend.

Non-academic support services included:

1. an annual spouses' workshop and evening Learning Center, open from 4:00-10:00 p.m. daily, offering developmentally appropriate activities for students' children, aged 3-11, to help with child care;
2. counseling mentoring; and
3. monthly meetings.

Administratively, involving key people and seeking input from major groups has been essential to the collaboration that has developed between Norfolk State University and the school systems. Representatives from all institutions comprised the Advisory Board. Also, a Coordinating Committee composed of key persons within the School of Education was actively involved in implementing the needed scheduling and instructional needs.

During Phase I of the project (1993-1997), 106 participants enrolled. Ninety completed the program and approximately 70 have been rehired by Norfolk Public Schools. Others have been hired by other local school systems. In Phase II (1998-2001), the project expanded to include Portsmouth Public Schools. Preliminary conclusions seem to support that preparing paraprofessionals, particularly minorities and males, is one way to increase the number of minority teachers. Norfolk Public Schools has attributed their ability to maintain its percentage of minority teachers to the Pathways project. In addition, after two years the majority of the Pathways graduates are still being rated as "highly effective" by their supervisors. Several have been recognized as "Teacher of the Year" in their schools. Further, the majority in their third year of teaching plan to remain in education and teach in the urban classroom.

Institutional Mission and Context

Norfolk State University is a comprehensive, urban university and one of the largest, historically, black institutions in the nation. Its mission is to provide opportunities for obtaining a quality education through the acquisition of knowledge, understanding, and skills. The university is composed of five schools: Liberal Arts, Education, Business and Entrepreneurship, Science and Technology, and Social Work. Bachelor degrees can be earned in 39 disciplines. There are 14 master degree programs and 2 doctoral programs. Currently, the university serves approximately 7,500 students with an instructional staff of approximately 450.

The School of Education offers a variety of programs at the undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate levels. Through its four departments of Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Health and Physical Education and Secondary Education and School Leadership, students may enroll in programs leading to teacher and/or administrative certification and licensure in early childhood education, special education, secondary education, and areas of administrative leadership. Approximately 1200 students are enrolled in these programs served by 40 full-time faculty members within the School of Education plus 15 faculty members who are full-time to the university and part-time to the School of Education.

Norfolk Public Schools (NPS) has approximately 37,500 students enrolled in Pre-K through grade 12. More than 60% of the NPS students qualify for the federally funded free lunch program. Norfolk Public Schools is known for its award winning schools, administrators, faculty, students, and sports programs and for implementing school innovations such as year round schools and schools following the Comer-Zigiar model. Smaller but no less dynamic, the Portsmouth Public School system enrolls approximately 17,500 students. Sixty-eight percent (68%) are African American, with thirty percent (30%) Caucasian, and two percent (2%) American Indian, Hispanic and Asian. With its award winning faculty and administrators, Portsmouth Public Schools has implemented many innovations to support its mission statement to provide a quality education for all students who will subsequently demonstrate the knowledge, skills, character, and civic responsibility which will enable them to shape their own destinies.

Key Partnership Representatives

Dr. Marie V. McDemmond, President, Norfolk State University
Dr. John O. Simpson, Superintendent, Norfolk Public Schools
Dr. E. Renee Rodriquez, Special Assistant to the Superintendent, Norfolk Public Schools
Dr. Thomas McAnulty, Senior Director, Office of Human Resources, Norfolk Public Schools
Dr. Wilbert Hawkins, Superintendent, Portsmouth Public Schools
Dr. Viola Morgan, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Portsmouth Public Schools
Dr. Denise M. Littleton, Project Director, Norfolk State University

For more information, contact:

Dr. Denise M. Littleton
Director, DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Pathways to Teaching Project
Norfolk State University
700 Park Avenue
Unit # 2730
Norfolk, VA 23504
Email: dmlittleton@nsu.edu
Telephone: 757123-9583
Fax: 757/823-9584

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