Do More in ’24!: Upcoming Higher Ed Partnership Info Sessions

The Office of Human Resources and Development provides higher education partnership opportunities to MCPS employees who are seeking teacher certification or licensure, continuing professional development, or who are pursuing career advancement. Register on Professional Development Online. Below, get more information on upcoming interest meetings:

Bowie State University Reading/Literacy Master’s Program
Thursday, Feb. 22; 4:30-5:30 p.m. 
RSVP on PDO, course #91696

This online graduate program in reading/literacy education from Bowie State University leads to a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree. The program prepares graduate candidates on all aspects of literacy instruction and to complete leadership experiences that prepare for transitioning into the role of a reading specialist.

Classroom teachers who are not interested in a specialist leadership position may also consider the program to gain current research-based information to help with effective literacy instruction with a focus on racially, culturally, linguistically and socioeconomically diverse students. 

The program is guided by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the International Literacy Association (ILA), Maryland Cultural Proficiency and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards. 

For more information, contact Dr. Jacquelyn Sweeney or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website. 

Hood College, Educational Leadership Program
Tuesday, Feb. 27; 5-6 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #87670

Hood College offers graduate certificate and master’s degree pathways for Educational Leadership leading to Administrator I certification. To be eligible, employees should have three or more consecutive years of successful classroom teaching experience and tenure. More information is available here.

For more information, contact Dan Shea or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.

Johns Hopkins University Special Education Teacher Immersion Training (SET-IT) Program
Thursday, Feb. 29, 5-6 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #87107

The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Special Education Teacher Immersion Training (SET-IT) master’s program has two focus areas: elementary/middle school (grades 1–8) and secondary/adult levels (grades 6–12) in special education. For this two-year program, participants will work for MCPS as special education paraeducators during the day and take JHU courses in the evening. A flyer is available here.

For more information, contact Alexandra Shelton or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.

Montgomery College ACET
Monday, March 4; 5-6 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #87653

MCPS and Montgomery College (MC) are offering the Alternative Certification for Effective Teachers (ACET) program. ACET is an innovative teacher preparation program for individuals who wish to change careers and become teachers in MCPS teaching. For eligible employees with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree who are seeking teacher certification, MC offers the ACET program in the following critical need areas:

• Secondary: Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Technology Education and English
• Middle School: Mathematics and Science
• World Languages: French and Spanish (placement in middle and high schools, with PreK-12 certification

Candidates MUST have a bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 2.75, expertise in the selected teaching field as supported by coursework, experience, and qualifying assessment scores. For more information, contact Dr. Glenda Hernandez Tittle at or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.

Moreland University, TEACH-NOW
Tuesday, March 5; 5-6 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #91498

Moreland University's TEACH NOW certification program helps conditionally certified teachers to earn their teaching licensure. This is an asynchronous online program that provides a flexible, affordable, and accelerated pathway to certification.

During this information session, you will:

• Learn about the TEACH-NOW program – schedule, learning goals, and requirements
• Take the steps to complete the application 
• Learn about the license process
• Meet the Moreland team and an MCPS graduate of the program 

For more information, contact Marjorie Guadarrama (Moreland University) or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website. 

University of Maryland (UMD) Creative Initiatives in Teacher Education (CITE) 
Wednesday, March 6, 4:30–5:30 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #87596

Have you considered becoming an elementary teacher in MCPS? The UMD CITE program prepares participants to become general education teachers in grades 1-6. This program is well matched to individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree and want to earn a master’s degree and certification in elementary education. Participants work as paraeducators during the program. CITE students begin internship experiences throughout the six-semester program and must be willing to work at least two hours a day in the general education elementary classroom with an MCPS mentor teacher. 

For more information, email Theresa Robinson or Carolina Napp-Avelli, or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.

Towson University Master of Teaching (MAT) in Special Education
Wednesday, March 6, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #90585

Towson University MAT in Special Education is a program designed for employees who are seeking an initial teacher certification in special education. Typically, students may enroll in one of three tracks:

• Special Education- Early Childhood Education (birth-grade 3)
• Special Education- Elementary/Middle Education (grades 1-8)
• Special Education- Secondary Education (grades 9-12)

The MAT in Special Education is a cohort program that follows a specific course sequence and timeframe for completion. For more information, contact Eric Kuhn at epkuhn@towson.edu or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.

McDaniel Educational Leadership Program
Wednesday, March 6, 5-6 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #87534

MCPS, in partnership with McDaniel College, will host an information session for their Administrator I Certification and Masters degree programs. To be eligible for the leadership partnership program, individuals must have three or more years of successful classroom teaching experience and be tenured in MCPS.

For more information, contact Susan Flanders at gpsadvising@mcdaniel.edu or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.

Montgomery College CREATE
Thursday, March 7; 4:30-5:30 p.m.
RSVP on PDO, course #89298

The Culturally Responsive Educators Aspiring for Teaching Excellence (CREATE) Teacher Cohort Program, offered by Montgomery College (MC), will host an information session from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, on Zoom.

To be eligible, employees should be current MCPS support professionals who hold permanent positions. Members of the cohort earn an associate of arts in teaching degree (AAT), the first two years of the required four-year degree. MC will assist employees who are new to college, or who have some college credits, in developing an academic plan that allows students to graduate in two to three years and seamlessly transfer to partner universities to complete the bachelor’s degree required to become a certified teacher.

For more information, email CREATEteachercohort@montgomerycollege.edu or visit the Higher Education Partnerships website.