Paradigm Shift, an initiative helping Black and Latinx para-educators to become licensed K-12 teachers in western Massachusetts, has published Leveraging the Power of Coalition for Teacher Diversity: Lessons and Recommendations from the Paradigm Shift Initiative. With leadership from Five College Partnership Programs and the Diverse Teacher Workforce Coalition of Western Massachusetts, the program is serving over 50 participants and has 10 graduates. The initiative collaborates with principals and other administrators in partner school districts to create institutional changes that support the recruitment and retention of a diverse teacher workforce. The important work of Paradigm Shift has also been highlighted in the Daily Hampshire Gazette and on New England Public Radio.

Five College Partnership Programs continues its collaboration on the four-year UMass Amherst-Springfield Public Schools Research-Practice Partnership (RPP): Computer Science for All Springfield, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Building on two years of planning under a 2016-2018 NSF EAGER grant, the goal of the partnership is to design, assess, and implement lessons integrating computational thinking standards into subject matter teaching in grades K-5. From 2018-2021, integrated computer science lessons for grades K through 5 were developed and piloted, and are now being implemented throughout Springfield Public Schools. Annie Leonard serves as the RPP Coordinator on behalf of Five Colleges, Inc.

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Are you a para-educator of color in Springfield, Holyoke, Amherst, or Northampton? Looking for guidance on how to become a licensed teacher?

Paradigm Shift is here to help you. We're excited to announce the Diverse Teacher Workforce Coalition's initiative to help Black and Latinx para-educators to become teachers. Check out our Paradigm Shift website designed to guide you through the process or contact Danielle Phillips, Paradigm Shift Program Coordinator.

Building Pathways for Black and Latinx Para-educators to Become Licensed Teachers

Paradigm Shift is a regional collaborative effort to support black and Latinx classroom paraeducators to become teachers. Comprised of more than 30 organizations including school districts, educator unions, teacher preparation programs, and workforce development groups representing Amherst, Northampton, Holyoke, and Springfield, the Coalition seeks to transform the teacher pipeline and create an educational workforce more representative of and responsive to students in the communities served by their schools. Increasing the diversity of teachers working in our schools in turn strengthens educational access, opportunities, and outcomes for Black, Latinx, and other students of diverse backgrounds throughout our region.

Visit the Paradigm Shift website designed to guide paraeducators through the process.

The Diverse Teacher Workforce Coalition Membership (June 2021)

Workforce development:

MassHire Regional Employment Board of Hampden County

• CareerPoint, Holyoke
• FutureWorks, Springfield

MassHire Franklin-Hampshire Regional Employment Board

• Franklin-Hampshire Career Center

Springfield Works

Public school districts:

Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools

Holyoke Public Schools

Northampton Public Schools

Springfield Public Schools

 

Educator unions:

Amherst-Pelham Education Association

Holyoke Paraprofessionals Association

Northampton Association of School Employees

Springfield Federation of Paraprofessionals

 

Educator preparation and support organizations:

Collaborative for Educational Services, Northampton

Elms College, Chicopee

Journey Into Education & Teaching, Boston

Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative, Springfield

Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley

Smith College, Northampton

Springfield College, Springfield

University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Education, Amherst

Teach Western Mass, Holyoke and Springfield

Westfield State University, Westfield

 

Community colleges:

Greenfield Community College, Greenfield

Holyoke Community College, Holyoke

Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield

 

Community organizations:

The Community Education Project, Holyoke

Holyoke-Chicopee-Springfield Headstart, Holyoke-Chicopee-Springfield

Home City Housing, Springfield

New North Citizens' Council, Inc., Springfield

Springfield Partners for Community Action, Springfield

The Literacy Lab, Springfield

The Urban League, Springfield

 

State Agencies:

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

 

Convenor:

The Five College Schools Partnership, Five College Consortium, Amherst

 

For more information, contact:

Danielle Phillips, Paradigm Shift Manager, dphillips@fivecolleges.edu

Media:

New England Public Radio Segment: "One Strategy To Get More Teachers Of Color: Treat Students Of Color Better"