Capital Area Pathways to Teaching

Capital Area Intermediate Unit #15 has partnered with BloomBoard to offer a group of paraprofessionals the opportunity to earn a fully accredited Bachelor’s of Elementary Education degree and a Master’s in Teaching (MAT) for those with Bachelor’s degrees out of field through a flexible, on-the-job program.

This pilot program, launching in the Fall of 2023, provides practicing paraprofessionals (with an Associate’s degree) the opportunity to earn college credit, which can lead to a fully-accredited Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, and ultimately teacher licensure in Pennsylvania. Participants will complete 20 skills-based courses (60 credit hours) while working in a classroom. This learn-by-doing program is designed for current paraprofessionals with regular access to students. Participants will be required to create artifacts from their classroom practice and upload them to the BloomBoard platform for assessment.

The program is accredited and can be completed in 2 years at no cost for paraprofessionals working for the Capital Area Intermediate Unit. If you work for another organization, ask about the availability of this program.

Designed for educators currently teaching with a Bachelor’s degree in a field other than education, this program provides the opportunity for them to earn either a Master’s of Arts and Teaching (MAT) in Elementary Education by completing 36 credit hours (12 courses) or an MAT in Secondary Education by completing 39 credit hours (13 courses) — all while working in a classroom. Participants must have regular access to students, and will be required to create artifacts from their classroom practice and upload them to the BloomBoard platform for assessment.

The program is accredited and can be completed in 12-18 months at no cost for educators currently working for the Capital Area Intermediate Unit. If you work for another organization, ask about the availability of this program.