Engagement and Recruitment

Critical Teacher Shortage Areas

The Advising and Certification Office continued to engage in targeted recruitment efforts to increase student enrollment in low-enrollment teacher education disciplinary areas and critical teacher shortage areas. Through these efforts, the Neag School is helping to address shortage areas in the state of Connecticut and nationally, and to meet the requirements for Candidate Recruitment in CAEP Standard 3.

Critical Teacher Shortage Area Recruitment Efforts, Summer/Fall 2023-Spring 2024

  • Advisors, Neag School faculty and communication staff revised recruitment flyers for secondary science, math and world language, which describe the majors, career trajectories, and financial incentives
  • Promotion of critical shortage areas through outreach to Academic Center for Exploratory Students (ACES) and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) advisors, including targeted emails prior to admission deadlines
  • Second admissions opportunity offered for open spots in critical shortage area majors; this year in history/social studies, math, science, special education, and world language. Special Education faculty reached out to Elementary Education applicants who were not admitted and encouraged them to apply during second admissions cycle.

Diversifying Teacher Education Workforce

Four college students of color stand in a row.

A goal for the Neag School is to diversify its teacher candidate population. This goal is aligned with CAEP Standard 3, and the Neag School’s ongoing commitment to equity, access, and inclusion. To that end, the advising staff conducted the activities listed below.

The Neag School teacher education faculty, staff, and academic advisors continued to develop strategies and initiatives to recruit more teacher candidates of color to its programs. Teacher candidates of color comprised 29% of the incoming AY 2023-24 IB/M and TCPCG cohorts. This remains significantly higher than the state average of 11.2%.

Diversifying the Neag School Student Population Recruitment Efforts, Summer/Fall 2023-Spring 2024

K-12 Recruitment:

  • Provide support to Neag Leadership in Diversity (LID) student group to host high school conference
  • Attended East Hartford High School College and Career Expo
  • Presented to Bennet Academy (Manchester) fifth and sixth grade students
  • Provided workshop for students from CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering School (Windsor), April and June, 2024; Kennelly School (Hartford), May 2024

Undergraduate and Graduate Student Recruitment:

  • Celebrating Diversity in Education – Prospective, current, and former students are invited to the Neag School’s yearly Diversity celebration, fall
  • Center for Access & Postsecondary Success (CAPS) Pre-teaching Information Sessions at Avery Point, Hartford, Stamford, Storrs, Waterbury campuses, fall
  • Advisors co-teach UNIV 1820 – Education for Social Change course, for freshman and sophomore students interested in teaching, fall and spring
  • Advisors attend the summer Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers (IRT) virtual conference for the recruitment of graduate students
  • Development of relationships with partner districts with large presence of diverse candidates

Teacher Candidate Support:

  • Provide support to Neag Leadership in Diversity (LID) student group, including for fall and spring Conferences
  • Collaborate with IB/M faculty and staff on ways to support teacher candidates of color enrolled in the program
  • Advisors and LID teacher candidates presented at the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) Annual Conference, Montgomery, Alabama, November 2023
  • Selection of teacher candidates and K-12 teachers for William Caspar Graustein Scholars Fund mentorship program

Critical and Reflective Service:

  • Advisors present at Multicultural and Social Foundations course, Avery Point campus, Summer
  • Advisors met with cultural center directors to discuss new recruitment initiatives

William Caspar Graustein Scholars

Tracey-Ann Lafayette gives the keynote address at theannual Celebration of Diversity in Education in October2023.
Alumna Tracey-Ann Lafayette gave the keynote address at the annual Celebration of Diversity in Education in October 2023.

The purpose of the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Scholars Fund is to increase the number of educators of color (e.g., Black and Latinx) who are uniquely prepared to serve the needs of diverse student populations.

From 2019 to 2023, selected teacher candidates participated in the Diverse Educators Making Outstanding Change program (D.E.M.O.). Three cohorts of 10 teacher candidates of color received a $2,000 scholarship for each of the three years they were enrolled in the IB/M program. The funds were intended to defray costs associated with completing program requirements. Graustein scholars were supported by practitioners of color, who have navigated white spaces both while attending college and professionally as K-12 teachers. These mentors supported teacher candidates to navigate educational, emotional, and clinical teaching site challenges.

Mentors have:

  • Invited their mentees into their classroom to introduce them to their colleagues and students, and shared personal and professional stories.
  • Invited their mentees into their home for a group dinner to create a less formal, personal relationship.
  • Advocated for their mentees to Neag staff when their mentees experienced academic, personal, or financial challenges.
  • Maintained regular communication with mentees to provide support. Mentors have also provided support as mentees confront and experience racism, trauma, and racial injustice.

    Early College Experience (ECE) Program

    The Neag School of Education offers four education ECE Program courses with the goal of increasing the number of students of color who ultimately enter the fields of education and sport:

    • EPSY 1100: Introduction to Special Education (3 credits)
    • EDCI 1100: If You Love It, Teach It (3 Credits)
    • EDLR 1162: Health and Education in Urban Communities (1 credit)
    • EDLR 2001: Contemporary Issues in Sport (3 credits)

    All courses offer high school students the opportunity to gain UConn credit, satisfy a UConn general education requirement, and explore teaching or sport as a possible career path. The original pilot of the Neag School’s ECE courses, in 2021-2022, included five districts, the majority of which are designated as Connecticut Alliance Districts: East Hartford, Farmington, Hartford, New Britain, and Waterbury. In 2023-2024, 25 districts offered education ECE courses, including Bristol, East Hartford, Hartford, Stamford, and Waterbury, serving 669 students.

    25

    school districts
    offered ECE courses
    in 2023-24

    Retention and Career Planning Initiatives

    The Advising and Certification Office engages in efforts to enhance student retention and success, which are aligned with CAEP Standard 3 Progression and Support and informed by research related to student support and retention. In addition, staff support candidates’ career readiness, employment and certification, in Connecticut and nationally.

    Student Retention and Career Planning Efforts

    Academic Support:

    • IB/M and SPM new student advising sessions by major, spring
    • IB/M and SPM preliminary/junior plan of study meetings by major, fall
    • IB/M junior, senior, and fifth year orientations, fall
    • IB/M senior student teaching orientation, spring
    • IB/M elementary senior-year rotating schedule meeting and handouts, spring
    • Course schedule emails to each IB/M and SPM cohort, fall & spring
    • Updating of advising syllabi for each major, spring
    • IB/M and SPM cohort sites in HuskyCT (repository for information on advising, career, clinic, and teacher licensure testing)
    • Academic Success Plan and meetings for students on university probation
    • Academic Success/Action Plans for IB/M and SPM students
    • Bi-weekly Teacher Education Unit (TEU) student support meeting (IB/M faculty and staff discuss students of concern)
    • Individual student meetings regarding course scheduling, plan of study, and academic support
    • Review prospective applicants academic advising reports/transcripts to ensure they are on track for fall admission

    General Student Support:

    • IB/M community-building events: Self-care and Wellness for Teaching Students, fall
    • Individual appointments with current students
    • Provide support to Neag student Groups: Teacher Education Student Association (TESA) and Leadership in Diversity (LID)
    • Provide financial support with the Advising Team graduate assistant position
    • Inaugural Junior Mentoring Program for IB/M campus change and transfer students
      • In fall 2022, we created a mentorship program for incoming IB/M students (initially just campus change and transfer students) identified as needing academic or other support to successfully transition through the IB/M program. Participating junior mentees are paired with an IB/M master’s student, typically in their subject area. Mentees receive support, knowledge of available resources and communities, and form connections with IB/M students. Mentors gain experience mentoring and share their experiences with incoming students. This year, 16 junior mentees and 9 master’s year mentors participated. The average semester GPA for mentees was 3.43 and all students are successfully transitioning to the senior year.

    Teacher Licensure Test Preparation:

    • Development of test preparation materials for each major with information on test accommodations, fee waivers, and test preparation resources
    • Created culture of test preparation
    • Outreach to graduates missing tests
    • Praxis Learning Paths Prep to support elementary teacher candidate development of math content knowledge

    Career Planning:

    • Résumé and cover letter writing workshop
    • Career Development Modules posted in HuskyCT site
    • Interviewing workshop, led by K-12 school district administrators
    • Administrator virtual panel for TCPCG students
    • Education Career Fair, spring
    • School district job postings in HuskyCT cohort Sites
    • Mock Interviews, spring
    • Connecticut Certification process presentations at Storrs (IB/M), Avery Point, Hartford, Stamford, and Waterbury campuses (TCPCG)
    • Out-of-State Certification Support:
      • Certification information flyers for other states
      • Individual student meetings & fall in-person information session
      • Complete verification forms and letters for recent or previous program completers