Author Archives: Woody

Cardona Promotes Diversity at Educator Symposium

Dr. Miguel Cardona, U. S. Secretary of Education and 1998 Alma Exley Scholar, presented a strong case for educator diversity to an audience of more than 200 educators and aspiring educators on Thursday.

He spoke via video at the third annual Increasing Diversity Symposium at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT, sponsored the Connecticut Department of Education and Educators Rising, a program that encourages high school students to pursue careers in education.

Also speaking was Connecticut Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker, who said that increasing educator diversity and strengthening the educator pipeline are among her agency’s strategic focus areas. (See story below.)

Diversity Is a “Must-Have”

“Educator diversity matters,” Secretary Cardona said. “It’s not only a good-to-have; it’s a must-have.

“The Biden-Harris team is moving toward a vision of public education that’s ambitious and inclusive when others want to privatize the public good—public education,” he said. “Our vision includes making sure that we have a beautifully diverse workforce of highly qualified teachers—a diversity that matches the diversity of our communities.

“I’m proud to say that Connecticut is leading the way. It’s one of only seven states with an educator diversity goal. From the 2015-16 school year to 2023-24, nearly 2,000 additional educators of color were hired across the state.

He noted that Connecticut has streamlined the process for educators from out-of-state to obtain Connecticut certification. He cited the NextGen program, which pays prospective teachers while they work to obtain credentials and connects them with experienced teachers as mentors. He also mentioned a new state program that provides scholarships to aspiring educators from diverse backgrounds.

National Priority

Secretary Cardona said the U.S. Department of Education is supporting educator-diversity efforts nationally. He said the Department is also fighting for teacher respect and teacher support. He cited what he calls the ABCs of teaching: A is for agency, treating teachers like professionals. B is for better working conditions, making sure they have the tools they need to be successful. C is for competitive salaries, since teachers are paid less than people with similar degrees in other professions. And he added D for diversity.

“Let’s demonstrate the courage to raise the bar for teacher diversity,” he said, “and let’s demonstrate the will to fight boldly and unapologetically for public education.

“At a time when people are attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion, at a time when people want to use vouchers to create a system of haves and have-nots, I tell you this is the best time to be in leadership. This is the best time to fight for diversity in our profession.

“We are fighting for public education,” he said. “We are fighting to lift up the great work of our public schools and our educators. We just have to make sure that they are as beautifully diverse as our country. I’m excited to continue to work together.”

Commissioner Cites Progress But Calls for More

Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker reported that the state’s educators of color increased from 7.8 percent in 2009-10 to over 11 percent this past school year. This represents an increase from 4,130 to more than 6,000 educators of color in the state’s public schools.

But she noted that students of color account for 58.8 percent of the total student body. This amounts to more than 275,000 students of color.

“We have a lot of work to do,” she said. “This work is critically important. Our collective actions demonstrate that we’re not just talking about the problem; we’re about effective solutions and we’re moving forward.

“Our goal is to create a universe of opportunities for all of our students,” she said, citing Educators Rising, scholarships for aspiring teachers, and certification reciprocity among the state’s diversity initiatives.

“We’re leading the charge to ensure that our educator workforce really looks like the students that it serves,” the commissioner said. “Together, we are changing the face of education in Connecticut.”

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Alma Exley Scholar Is Driving Teacher Diversity

Connecticut’s Teacher Residency Program (TRP) is addressing the teacher shortage while also having an impact on the shortage of teachers of color.

I’m proud to report that Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims, an Alma Exley Scholar, is a leader in this state initiative.

Since we honored Dr. Sims in 2008, she has emerged as a highly respected educational leader as a public-school administrator, a UConn faculty member, and now as managing director of academics at the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC), which manages the TRP.

     Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims

Achieving Results

       The state approved the Teacher Residency Program in 2019 among a variety of initiatives to increase teacher diversity. After the first five years, 135 program graduates are teaching in Connecticut schools—94 percent of whom are persons of color.

       The program is in high demand among aspiring teachers. While the national trend in teacher-preparation programs is a decline in enrollment, TRP had a record applicant pool for the 2024-2025 cohort, resulting in 45 residents enrolled and placed in residencies within partner districts and a waiting list of more than 20 additional qualified candidates.

       “TRP enables candidates with bachelor’s degrees to take courses leading to teacher certification,” Dr. Sims says. “The program helps to break down barriers to entry into the teaching profession by covering the cost of tuition and paying a living wage during the one-year residency. Candidates receive three years of mentoring support from experienced educators from the time they are residents through their first two years as teachers of record.”

       The Capitol Region Education Council established the program to increase diversity among public school educators. The program has since grown to a state-wide partnership of the Regional Education Service Center (RESC) Alliance.

       Currently, only 11 percent of Connecticut public school teachers are persons of color, compared to over half of the students.

Impact of Teachers of Color

       “Ethnic and racial diversity among teachers and administrators adds positive value for all students,” Dr. Sims says. “This is evident in more equitable approaches to student discipline, greater representation of students of color in gifted programs, and improved student performance.”

       (Studies have demonstrated that students of color do better when they have at least one teacher of color.)

       Serving with Dr. Sims on the TRP leadership team are Ushawnda Mitchell, managing director of residencies, and Dr. Niralee Patel-Lye, managing director of recruitment, retention, and partnerships.

       Congratulations to Dr. Sims and her colleagues for their commitment to the cause of increasing diversity among the educator workforce in Connecticut. It’s heartening to see them achieving results and making a difference in our public schools.

  • Woody Exley

National Board Certification Brings Elite Status

Jessica Raugitinane, whom we honored in 2012, has completed an intensive, two-year process to earn an elite level of certification that has been achieved by only four percent of teachers nationwide.

Congratulations to Ms. Raugitinane on becoming a National Board-Certified Teacher.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) grants this certification in line with its mission to advance the quality of teaching and learning. The National Board’s mission is to develop, retain, and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide.

Ms.Raugitinane began working toward the certification while teaching English-language learners at a dual-language school in her hometown of Alexandria, Virginia. Now she serves as the K-12 English Learners Curriculum Specialist in her school district’s central office.

“In this position, I can focus on my passion for curriculum writing, especially for English-language learners, and remain connected to the classroom by piloting curriculum with teachers and students,” she says.

Recommendations for Colleagues

For teachers who might be considering pursuing National Board certification, Ms. Raugitinane offers this advice:

“Seek out resources from your school district; see if there is a mentor or cohort who can guide you through the process and review your portfolio submissions.

“The certification process is rigorous and time-consuming, so creating a schedule that dedicates time to certification requirements while balancing teaching and personal life is essential. 

“Nevertheless, the process is beneficial and doesn’t feel like you are just trying to check off a list of tasks, but rather truly investing in yourself as a teacher. The critical analysis and deep reflection throughout the process lead to improved instructional strategies and better student outcomes, while allowing you to display your strengths as a teacher.”

Triple Major at UConn

Ms. Raugitinane received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut in 2013 with three majors: elementary education, English, and Spanish, along with a minor in Latino studies. She received her master’s degree from UConn in 2014. Before joining the faculty in Alexandria, she taught English as a second language to university students in Quito, Ecuador.

“I knew the certification process would be labor-intensive,” she says. “But I felt supported by my school district’s board-certified mentor who reassured me that the deep reflection encouraged by this process would truly enhance my teaching skills and motivate me to provide high-quality teaching to my students.”

Ms. Raugitinane achieved National Board certification in English as a New Language for Early and Middle Childhood (ages 3-12) by submitting a portfolio for each of four components:

  • Content Knowledge: Candidates demonstrate an understanding of the subject matter and how to teach it effectively.
  • Differentiation in Instruction: Candidates provide evidence of how they tailor their instruction to students with diverse learning styles and abilities.
  • Teaching Practice and Learning Environment: Candidates submit videos of their teaching and provide written analyses of their teaching practice in varied contexts.
  • Effective and Reflective Practitioner: Candidates analyze and reflect on how they use assessment data and student feedback to improve their instruction. Candidates also provide evidence of participation in professional learning communities and collaboration with other educators to meet students’ needs.

Felicidades to Ms. Raugitinane and best wishes for continued success in this new phase of her career.

  • Woody Exley