We have one goal: To partner with Idaho school district’s to meet their needs. Our research-based approach, to preparing rural teachers, leads to greater retention. CSI's primary educational mission is to serve the needs of Region 4, however, we are authorized to serve other regions as long as there is a need and the district/school is supportive. We are currently serving candidates in Regions 3, 4, 5, and 6. Our aim is to address Idaho’s current teacher shortage and support districts with hard-to-fill positions by expanding our non-traditional preparation program that utilizes nationally recognized best practices through the development of performance assessments that align with Idaho State Standards, and the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching Clusters. Charlotte Danielson has been involved in regular conversations around our program and provides us with feedback to better align teacher preparation standards with practical, growth-producing activities. We continue to process feedback and refine these activities to further advance our candidates’ immediate success in the classroom and focused professional growth over time. CSI’s NTEP Program is dedicated to “Preparing Teachers to Stay.”
Our program is hands-on and competency-based. Each of the five program modules lasts one semester. Embedded within the modules are performance tasks based on the Idaho Core Teaching Standards, aligned with the Danielson Framework. In order to put theory and knowledge gained through modules into immediate practice, our candidates must be working under an interim certificate. We work with each candidate to assess their needs and strengths to individualize the program as much as possible. Twice a month classes are delivered via Zoom, and are also recorded to allow candidates the most flexibility possible. There is also 24/7 accessibility to the content of each module. We focus on online collaboration and mentoring support for success in the classroom. Completion of the five modules will typically take a candidate four semesters plus one summer session.
Our program is not grade level nor content-specific. Our hands-on, competency-based modules cover best practices in pedagogy; the method and practice of teaching. Candidates prove content competency through successfully passing the appropriate Praxis test, or through proof of a bachelor’s degree in the content area in which they are receiving certification. We encourage candidates to take the Praxis as early as possible so we can assist them in identifying additional coursework as necessary to bolster their knowledge in that content area. While most modules focus on the core teaching standards and are not content-specific, each assignment and assessment completed by the candidate is grounded in their specific content area, and one module is devoted entirely to the application of content in which candidates explore and apply best practices in their specific content pedagogy. Student-centered classroom management is a focus of the program, and candidates continuously reflect upon and modify classroom management strategies throughout all five modules.In addition to providing ongoing support for our candidates, our goal is also to lighten the burden for school districts. We assist with reviewing transcripts and the candidate-completed Uniform Standard for Evaluating Content Competency Rubric needed to place a teacher-of record and make sure that each candidate has a strong mentor that meets with them frequently. We recruit and assign a mentor for each candidate to ensure quality and consistency, also recognizing that many small, rural districts often do not have the resources or bandwidth to provide an experienced instructional coach. Regardless of whether the district is able to additionally assign a building mentor, district support and partnership are key to participation in this program.
Because the program was approved by the Idaho State Board of Education as a non-traditional route to teaching, we are now able to also work toward fulfilling our vision to partner with districts to create and fill local teacher pipelines.To qualify for an interim certificate, candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree, meet a Content Area Qualifier, and be employed by a district or charter in a K-12 school, teaching in the classroom environment in which the candidate is seeking certification. We work with candidates, their school districts/charters, and the State Department of Education to secure an Interim Certificate. This certificate is valid for three years as long as the candidate is making adequate progress toward full certification in our program. To receive a recommendation for certification, each candidate must pass the appropriate Praxis (or hold a Bachelor’s degree in the exact content area), complete performance assessments in all five modules, and be rated as proficient on the Idaho Common Summative Assessment for two years (based upon a formal evaluation using the Danielson Framework for Teaching).