New partnership will help enrich skills and advance careers
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (May 6, 2020) — As schools navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and teachers stretch their abilities to provide distance and blended learning, educators across Oklahoma now have another valuable option to help meet their professional learning goals: micro-endorsements through BloomBoard. Oklahoma Public School Resource Center (OPSRC) has partnered with BloomBoard to offer micro-endorsement programs aligned to district salary schedules and strategic plans at a lower cost than traditional graduate degrees.
Typically made up of four to seven micro-credentials, micro-endorsements are digital certifications an individual can earn for specific areas of expertise in their career advancement. Earning a micro-endorsement means an educator has demonstrated competencies required for defined teaching areas.
By demonstrating specific competencies through BloomBoard, educators can achieve levels of expertise and compensation that are equivalent to master’s degrees and beyond but that are more cost-effective than traditional graduate courses. BloomBoard also offers deferred financing options for educators in pursuit of career advancement.
Districts can design a master’s level course of study for their staff consisting of micro-endorsements for areas like social emotional learning, meeting the needs of English language learners, computer science instruction and personalized learning. Pathways can also be personalized so endorsements align directly to each educator’s goals.
And while the main focus of what BloomBoard offers surrounds teachers and their growth, district administration also benefits from creating a prescribed program of micro-endorsements for their staff. Doing so can help:
- Strengthen their district’s strategic plan by ensuring teaching staff master certain core competencies
- Provide real-time data of teachers’ course progress to analyze strengths and weaknesses in classroom, online or blended instruction and student learning
- Recruit and retain quality teachers with comprehensive on-the-job training
“This partnership couldn’t have been more timely,” said OPSRC Executive Director Brent Bushey. “While many teacher trainings have already been canceled this summer due to COVID-19, educators can still use BloomBoard to enhance their knowledge and expand their toolbox of instructional strategies. We believe more and more schools will be looking to support teacher practice for online and blending learning, and this is a win-win: graduate-level learning accessible anytime, anywhere and without the hefty cost.”
About Oklahoma Public School Resource Center
Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center (OPSRC) is a nonprofit organization that provides essential resources, professional development and technical assistance for the state’s public school districts. The center advocates on behalf of public schools for high-quality instruction for all students and supports increasing classroom innovation to provide Oklahoma’s students with a challenging, globally competitive education. For more information, visit opsrc.net.
About BloomBoard
Founded in 2010, BloomBoard is leading the shift from professional development to educator advancement via micro-certification. The company partners with states and districts to enable a unique online learning experience where educators improve their instructional practice and advance in their careers by earning micro-credentials. BloomBoard aims to help all organizations transition to meaningful, purpose-driven educator development and advancement based on measurable certification. For more information, visit bloomboard.com.
