This project is a collaborative partnership between Lane Education Service District, Springfield Public School District, Eugene School District 4J and Bethel School District; the University of Oregon; Pacific University; Bushnell University and Lane Community College funded in partnership with the Educator Advancement Council. These eight organizations are working together to transform teacher preparation by designing a program to support diverse* candidate scholars.

The project consists of four distinct focus areas including recruitment, clinical practice, hiring-placement, and mentoring. Taken together, the four areas and the proposed links within our project design yield the opportunity to help reduce the persistent diversity gap in our teacher workforce.

The Oregon Department of Education reports that during 2019-2020 12% of teachers are ethnically, and/or linguistically diverse. Additionally, in the last five years the number of racially, ethnically and/or linguistically diverse teachers and students has increased just two percent.

The gap that exists in Lane County reflects the gap throughout the state of Oregon first acknowledged in the 1991 Minority Teacher Act, a gap that has continued to grow over the past 30 years. The Lane Regional Teacher Pathways Program is designed to address this persistent issue by collaborating with our partners in recruiting and supporting scholars who represent the diversity of students in our classrooms.

• Financial assistance through scholarships and information about other forms of support (loans, grants, scholarships)
• Individualized academic support throughout the program, from application to licensure
• Professional development and workshop seminars

The Pathways in Education Program provides successful candidates with tuition scholarships ranging between $2,500 and $15,000 to attend Bushnell University, University of Oregon, Pacific University or Lane Community College. Scholarships are paid directly to the attending college on a per term basis dependent on successful completion of each term, maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA, and making adequate progress toward licensure. 

While the Pathways Program helps to cover the cost of tuition, it is not intended to completely fund a student’s education. Participants will need to pay application fees, housing, textbooks, testing fees, licensure fees, additional tuition and other educational items as needed.

Applicants are required to complete a FAFSA by the end of February each year and are encouraged to visit the Office of Student Access and Completion for a full list of grants and scholarships, like the Oregon Opportunity Grant, Oregon Promise, as well as other resources to support your education.

Candidate scholars for the Lane Regional Teacher Pathways Program must:

• Have graduated from high school, and
• Qualify for admittance to one of our consortia partners:

  University of Oregon, Pacific University, or Bushnell University (or plan to attend Lane Community College to obtain an Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer AAOT).

Additionally, the Pathways Program is aligned to Oregon Department of Education (ODE) definitions as stated in the Educator Equity Act (See the annual Oregon Educator Equity Report  to further understand Oregon commitments to educator workforce diversity.) statutes (342.433 Definitions for ORS 342.433 to 342.449. As used in ORS 342.433 to 342.449 and 350.100) in diversifying our teaching workforce by actively recruiting scholars who are:

1. “Diverse” means culturally or linguistically diverse characteristics of a person, including:
   1. Origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa but is not Hispanic;
   2. Hispanic culture or origin, regardless of race;
   3. Origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent or the Pacific Islands;
   4. Origins in any of the original peoples of North America, including American Indians or Alaskan Natives; or
   5. A first language that is not English.

The online application window will open in late summer/fall.  The application includes standard personal information, short answer and essay questions, unofficial transcripts, and three reference checks (electronic form sent directly to the individuals listed in your online application).

Application: click here

Bethel staff can contact Remie Calalang or Tina Gutierez-Schmich.

If you have any questions, please contact the Teacher Pathways Program Specialist, Chemika Bolden at 541-461-8235 or cbolden@lesd.k12.or.us.