UI and Iowa City Community School District Partnership Goal:

Our goal is to create a robust program for future teachers focusing on the recruitment of students of color in order to diversify the Iowa teacher workforce. Our partnership will provide support and programming for high school students interested in education as a future career, including visits to Iowa's campus for workshops and mentorship from Aspiring Educators, a group of current teacher education students at the University of Iowa. Students receive support and training from high school and throughout college on becoming future teachers in the ICCSD.

High school students in Iowa City schools will join Educators Rising chapters within their schools, led by a trained teacher sponsor. Educators Rising is a national "Grow Your Own" organization committed to developing the next generation of educators with support from partners and sponsors, including the NEA. EdRising chapters have been formed at each high school and sponsored by a teacher in each building. Cross-cutting themes reflected in the program curriculum include Cultural Competence, Fairness, Equity and Diversity, Reflective Practice, Ethics, Collaboration, Social Justice and Advocacy, and Self-efficacy. Program standards include Understanding the Profession, Learning About Students, Building Content Knowledge, Engaging in Responsive Planning, Implementing Instruction, Using Assessments and Data, Engaging in Reflective Practice. Students in the program will have the opportunity to participate in regional, state, and national EdRising conferences and competitions each year. Visit ICCSD's partnership page for additional information.