The 2024 ECACE graduating class celebrates with COE faculty and staff after commencement.
UPSCALING EDUCATORS
New online programs
accelerate teacher growth
By Emmalynne Shumard
While online learning may have been the norm during the pandemic, it’s a new kind of classroom for Illinois State University’s educators-turned-students. They’re enrolling in higher education to help combat the teacher shortage and graduate their lifelong dreams into reality.
According to the Advance Illinois report, “nearly half of all school districts in Illinois reported having at least one teacher vacancy during the 2022-23 school year.” In response to this crisis, Illinois State is stepping up to fill those vacancies with the Paraprofessionals Unlocking Licensure in Special Education (PULSE) and Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) programs.
Launched in 2023, The PULSE program is an online classroom designed to help special education paraprofessionals earn their bachelor’s degree in special education and their Professional Educator’s License (PEL) with a Learning Behavioral Specialist 1 (LBS 1) endorsement. The program’s streamlined courses allow teachers to continue working while getting their bachelor’s degree.
For Academic Advisor, Recruiter, and Student Success Coach Melissa Ramirez-Osorio, there’s nothing more rewarding than offering this program.
“I love working with PULSE students,” said Ramirez-Osorio. “Whenever I asked, ‘Why are you coming to school now?’ they answered, ‘Because this opportunity didn’t exist before, especially at a school like ISU.’”
Melanie Derrenne, a learning behavior specialist major and long-term substitute teacher and paraprofessional at Unity Junior High School in Tolono, is in her first year in the PULSE program, balancing her courses and a classroom of junior high school students. Originally passed information about the program by the special education director of her district, she’s on track to graduate in May of 2025.
“I was reading about how it was created for paraprofessionals, that we could work and do student teaching at the same time. I was like, ‘This program was made for me,’” said Derrenne.
She has noticed parallels between her classes and what she will be teaching.
“I took a class last semester about learners with severe disabilities,” said Derrenne. “We got to do a research paper where we listened to podcasts and read articles about people that have disabilities. Getting to see from their perspective, what it’s like living life with a disability, that was cool.”
Though her graduation is still a year away, Derrenne can already envision the doors her degree will open in her career.
“I would love to get a job at the district I’m working at,” said Derrenne. “I would love to do really anything.”
PULSE isn’t the only program for online learners at Illinois State. Established in 2022, the ECACE program helps professionals obtain a bachelor’s degree and professional educator license for children from birth to second grade.
Dr. Linda Ruhe Marsh, once an early childhood educator and non-traditional student herself, is director of the program. She sees ECACE improving the lives of dedicated teachers.
“They care deeply about children. They’re already teachers, but upscaling their skills upscales their earning potential,” said Ruhe Marsh. “If they’re able to work in a school district, their pay can increase by $20,000 a year.”
She added, “The thing I appreciate about this program is it allows students who wouldn’t have the opportunity otherwise to get a teaching degree.”
Senior early childhood education major Shay Bourrage found her way into the ECACE program almost by chance.
“I was scrolling on Facebook, and I saw the Gateways program had posted about the ECACE,” said Bourrage. “I looked at (Illinois State’s) program and they had it set up. It was plain—you could do this in two years. The rest is history.”
Like most students in the program, Bourrage is juggling a full-time life with a full-time course load. Students in the ECACE program take intensive, condensed courses to be able to complete the program in two years. Her student teaching placement is also non-traditional as she student teaches two days per week in a first-grade classroom at Marie Schaefer Elementary School in O’Fallon. She also maintains her job as a teacher at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Head Start.
PULSE students who received the Wheeler Scholarship connect with SED chair, Dr. Yojanna Cuenca-Carlino, during the COE Scholarship Ceremony.
PULSE students attend PULSE Day in May 2024 at Illinois State.
Student teaching experiences are planned collaboratively with school districts and community agencies to allow students the ability to keep their jobs while they student teach. Student teaching is often identified as a barrier to non-traditional students completing the requirements to become a licensed teacher.
“I would not want to sit in a classroom; I have five children. My life is busy,” said Bourrage. “It worked for me because we can work at our own pace.”
Even with the online format, Bourrage and her cohort have formed real friendships. She met up with one of her classmates prior to their graduation in May.
“A lot of us have exchanged phone numbers. A few of us are Facebook friends. It’s a group who has become close over the two years,” said Bourrage. “Me and my classmate, we booked the same hotel. We coordinated so we could both go early, and our kids could meet each other. We’ve made bonds, even though we have not met in person.”
Bourrage said she is looking forward to the opportunities her new degree offers.
“I would not be opposed to going into a school district and possibly teaching kindergarten or first grade,” said Bourrage. “But as of now, for me, I plan on staying in Head Start with the little babies. And if something changes, I may go into a school district. I’m glad I have that option. With this degree, I can go into any school district and teach.”
Ramirez-Osorio sees a bright future ahead for both her students and online learning.
“The PULSE program is the beginning of a lot of changes we can do. One way to maintain enrollment is to work with non-traditional students,” said Ramirez-Osorio. “Both programs are an example of how online teacher education programs can be successful.”
The first cohort of ECACE, 58 students strong, earned their degrees in May 2024, and PULSE students are on course to do the same next spring. Bourrage awards the final grade.
“It definitely was an A+ in my eyes.”