The once challenging path to teacher certification in Pinal County has been smoothed over by Central Arizona College.
Thanks to a partnership with Arizona State University, Pinal County residents have an avenue to complete their associate degree at CAC and bachelor’s degree at Arizona State University while fulfilling the requirements for teacher certification-all without racking up miles on their cars.
Classes are delivered in a variety of modalities, including online where students can work from home or through interactive television-known as iTV-where students attend class at any of CAC’s nine campuses and centers.
In addition to the program being offered at CAC’s Signal Peak, Superstition Mountain and Aravaipa campuses, students have options at the Maricopa center.
“Central Arizona College has the technical infrastructure and educational experience to bring teacher certification and degree programs to the people of Pinal County,” Jenni Gonzales, CAC’s co-director for Title V who helped develop the partnership, said. “Arizona State University has the ability to offer certification and ultimately a bachelor’s degree. This was a natural partnership designed to create accessibility to a higher education program for the residents of Pinal County.”
Included in the teacher certification opportunity is ASU’s dual special education and elementary education program. One degree program will qualify students for certification in both special and elementary education.
The program now is registering a new cohort of students for the upcoming fall semester. An information session will be held on Monday, June 22 from 4:30-6 p.m. in Room 101 of the Student Services Center (Building M, Clock Tower) at the Signal Peak Campus.
Students interested in beginning the teacher education program or attending the information session should contact Dianna Davis, the transfer resource specialist at Central Arizona College, by phone at 520-494-5448, or by e-mail at [email protected].
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