x
  
  
Posted: 2/10/21

TAMIU One of Six U.S. Minority-Serving Institutions Selected for BranchED’s National Teacher Preparation Transformation Center

 

BranchEdLogo
 

Texas A&M International University (TAMIU)  is one of six educator preparation programs at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) across the U.S. selected to participate in the Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity’s (BranchED) National Teacher Preparation Transformation Center, providing an immersion process aimed at producing highly effective and diverse teachers. 

BranchED’s president and CEO Dr. Cassandra Herring, said TAMIU’s selection enables its participation in the Transformation Center, a three-year  innovative experience and program.

“Through participation in the Transformation Center these colleges and universities join a unique community of practice where each institution’s faculty and their respective school district partners can access enhanced resources and professional development, network with others, share data and learn from each other to move forward with sustainability and innovation. The larger goals of BranchED’s Transformation Center include both diversifying the teaching profession and intentionally addressing critical issues of educational equity for all students,” Dr. Herring explained.

“No other entity in the country takes the approach to diversifying the nation’s educator workforce the way BranchED does.  Our approach is ‘grassroots’ in that we work directly with the MSI educator preparation providers to draft and implement an individualized plan for systemic and sustainable improvement with the goal of ensuring program graduates are competent and confident in their ability to teach all students – particularly students of color and those from low-socioeconomic backgrounds,”  Herring added.

TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz said the University’s national selection underscores  the quality of its educator preparation program and its dedication to continued excellence and transformation. 

“Our teaching, research and service as a Hispanic Serving Institution has a robust 50+ plus year legacy.  Our  College of Education prepares the majority of educators within a 150-mile radius of Laredo.  We’re very proud of our students, our graduates and our programs and the measurable contributions they make in classrooms everywhere. Our selection as a BranchED National Teacher Preparation Transformation Center member provides a dynamic opportunity to grow our  teaching mission and our passion, and we are eager to do so,” said Dr. Arenaz.  

 TAMIU College of Education dean Dr. James O’Meara said the University has already established measures for the success of its transformation. 

“We will measure the success of our transformation against the following four outcomes: the quality of integrated student support provided to our candidates; the volume of expanded and enriched learning time beyond the traditional curriculum; the frequency of family and community engagement, and the impact of collaborative leadership and practices,”  Dr. O’Meara said.

Joining TAMIU in  BranchED’s Cohort 2 are Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, AL, Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles, CA, University of La Verne in La Verne, CA., Virginia State University in Petersburg, VA, and West Texas A&M University in Canyon. The pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade school district partners for these respective institutions also participate in the Transformation Center. 

BranchED’s Transformation Center is rooted in the organization’s work to redefine what constitutes quality educator preparation through commitment to a collective vision that combines “quality” and “diversity” in reflection of the changing demographics in the U.S. The organization launched its first cohort for its National Teacher Preparation Transformation Center in 2018. 

Major support for this cohort in BranchED’s Transformation Center comes from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation at the recommendation of Alice L. Walton.  Program support also comes from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the Bezalel Fund, a donor-advised fund established by Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and others.

Based in Austin, Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity is the first and only non-profit organization in the nation dedicated to strengthening and growing educator preparation at MSIs, with broader goals of both diversifying the teaching profession and intentionally addressing critical issues of educational equity for all students. BranchED is expanding its reach into K-12 by supporting principal coaching and development. For more information, visit www.educatordiversity.org.

To find our more about TAMIU’s College of Education undergraduate or graduate degree programs, click on https://www.tamiu.edu/coedu, call the College at 956.326.2420 or email coeinformation@tamiu.edu

Watch a Video Link on This.