Fort Lewis College has been training teachers for over 100 years, a legacy of which we are exceptionally proud. The recent Colorado Department of Higher Education/Department of Education (CDHE/CDE) report on the decline of the state’s teacher education programs is concerning, though the enrollment numbers cited in the recent article, “Teacher shortage in Colorado reaches critical condition,” are not accurate.
The article cited CDHE sources as listing enrollment in the FLC education programs at below 130 for the 2014-15 academic year. In reality, 338 students were declared in teacher education programs at FLC in that year, with 180 having been formally accepted into the program.
Yet, there is a need for more teachers. Alternative licensure programs certainly have their value and will be useful in overcoming any teacher shortages. FLC continues to evolve to meet the future needs of teachers, as well.
In addition to offering 11 undergraduate majors that lead to licensure, a new Master of Arts in Education in Teacher Licensure, beginning in fall 2017, will allow recent graduates and career changers the opportunity to gain a teaching license in two semesters.
This new degree joins the Master of Arts in Education, Teacher Leadership Option and certificate program, which are aimed at helping existing teachers learn the skills to become leaders in and out of the classroom to help direct the future of America’s educational system.
The FLC Teacher Education program is nationally accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council and has received the highest ratings from the Colorado Department of Higher Education. The program has had an impact across the Southwest, in particular among Native American tribes. Meet a Navajo teacher, for example, and there’s a very good chance they earned their degree at Fort Lewis College.
Mitch Davis
Durango
Editor’s note: Mitch Davis is a public affairs officer at Fort Lewis College.
