On Oct. 31, 2018, a team from the Antioch School of Education attended a “Diversifying the Educator Workforce” convening at the Gates Foundation. Hosted by the WA State Professional Educator Standards Board and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the objective of the event was to provide an opportunity to hear and share strategies to increase underrepresented candidates in the educator workforce, with the main focus on education preparation programs providing a more supportive, equitable, and culturally responsive pathway for future educators.
Participants had the opportunity to collaborate with one another around these important issues, and to hear from a variety of speakers, including the WA State Teacher of the year and his students. Teams from the Antioch School of Education led two breakout sessions. In the first session, faculty members and community advisors discussed how a Committee of Community Advisors is providing advice to Antioch’s Education programs in order for them to be more responsive to—and representative of—local school communities. In the second session, School of Education members presented along with Will Williams, Director of Multilingual Education in the Kent School District, about the Alternative Route to Teacher Certification (ARTC) Program and the deep partnership that has been established between the university and the district.
“The event was a wonderful opportunity to build our knowledge and engage with others toward advancing equity in WA State public schools,” said Rachel Oppenheim, director of the AUS School of Education.
