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CSUF and Local School Districts Partner to Prepare Educators

Grant to Expand Practice-Based K-8 Teacher Training
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Cal State Fullerton, the Anaheim Union High School District and Fullerton School District have been awarded a grant by the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation to expand practice-based training for new K-8 teachers in implementing the state’s math and science standards.

Cal State Fullerton’s teacher preparation programs have a reputation for excellence regionally and have been recognized statewide and nationally for their rigor and focus on research-based practice. The recent review by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) gave CSUF’s educator preparation programs the highest marks and praised the programs for their rigor, focus on research-based practice and outstanding faculty. CSUF graduates teach in every district in and around Orange County, making a difference in the lives of the thousands of students and hundreds of communities they serve. Among its alumni are National Board Certified Teachers, Teachers of the Year, and nationally acclaimed education advocates, such as CSUF alumnus Kelly Gallagher ‘83 (B.A. communications), author of “Readicide” and keynote speaker for the second annual Better Together: California Teachers Summit on July 29.

Cal State Fullerton is among 11 California State University (CSU) campuses earning S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation grants.

“As one of the institutions in California that confers the most teaching credentials, California State University, Fullerton’s partnership with the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation empowers us to continue transforming teacher preparation through a collaborative environment of school district leaders, teachers, teacher candidates and college professors,” said Mildred García, president of Cal State Fullerton. “Our long-term goal is to prepare highly qualified new teachers for schools throughout the region, and together, we can achieve our ambitious plan.”

The grant will support continued development and expansion of a clinical model of teacher preparation with classes offered on site at the partner schools in the Anaheim Union High School District and Fullerton School District, and CSUF College of Education collaboration across departments (Elementary and Bilingual Education, Secondary Education and Special Education) and with faculty in the CSUF College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.         

Investments made by the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation will expand the CSU’s New Generation of Educators Initiative (NGEI), an initiative focused on preparing highly qualified math and science teachers for the elementary and middle grades — the formative years in the educational pipeline that lay a foundation for students’ long-term success and college and career readiness.

“We applaud Cal State Fullerton, the Anaheim Union High School District and Fullerton School District for this bold effort that will benefit students across the entire region for decades to come,” said Loren Blanchard, CSU executive vice chancellor for academic and student affairs.

For more information on the NGEI, visit online.