IOWA GRANTS KAPLAN UNIVERSITY FULL APPROVAL FOR STATE’S FIRST ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

Accelerated Teacher Certification Programs Address Iowa’s Critical Teaching Shortage

Des Moines, IA, Feb. 7, 2007— Kaplan University today announced that the Iowa State Board of Education has granted it full approval for its online Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Iowa Teacher Intern Certificate Programs, which were launched with conditional approvals in 2005 to address Iowa’s critical teacher shortage. The accelerated teacher certification programs were designed to prepare career-changers to earn their Iowa secondary-level teacher license in 18 months or less.

 “Kaplan University is gratified by the Board’s decision and is committed to developing and placing quality teachers in classrooms to help students succeed, “ said Becky Shermis, Dean of Teacher Education at Kaplan University’s Graduate School of Education. “We have worked hard to ensure that our students not only receive the curriculum training, classroom management skills and continuing professional development they need, but also to provide a strong support system to help smooth their transition from coursework to classroom.”

Following recent site visits and interviews with teacher mentors, school administrators and Kaplan University teacher interns, the Board of Education is satisfied that the University has “developed and piloted a strong, quality program in Iowa,” according to a Board of Education summary report that recommended the programs’ approval.

The M.Ed. offers secondary teaching concentrations for career-changers seeking initial licensure and entry into the teaching profession. The M.Ed. degree requires students to complete 56 quarter-credit hours, with a concentration in one of the secondary education content areas offered, including math, science, English and social studies. The master’s degree program takes 15 to 18 months to complete.

The Iowa Teacher Intern Certificate Program offers career-changers an opportunity to pursue their licensure through a rigorous academic program while providing Iowa schools with qualified teacher interns. Candidates in this certificate program typically hold a bachelor’s degree in a field outside of education. The program includes a 44-quarter-credit hour online curriculum as well as a one-year teaching internship as a Teacher of Record in a participating Iowa secondary school. The entire program, including the internship, takes approximately 12 to 18 months to complete. Both programs offer quality and intensive mentoring, coaching and supervisory support both online and on-ground.  All faculty have doctoral degrees.

Upon successful completion of either program, candidates are eligible to apply for an initial teacher license from the state of Iowa. Several career-changers in the programs’ inaugural class are expected to graduate with their master’s degree or certificate this summer, including a food research scientist, a contractor and a library aide.

The University recently began offering the M.Ed. program in Broward County, FL., and is exploring additional markets. Until now, the Teacher Intern Program was only available in Iowa, but is also expected to expand into new markets.

Kaplan University, based in Davenport, IA, offers more than 70 academic programs and is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).  The University currently serves more than 26,000 online and on-ground students, and has support centers in Fort Lauderdale, Chicago and Phoenix. To learn more, visit www.kaplanuniversitynews.com. 

About Kaplan Higher Education and Kaplan, Inc.
Kaplan, Inc.’s higher education division includes Kaplan University, Concord Law School and more than 70 campus-based locations. The Higher Education Division offers master’s, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees, as well as certificates designed to provide students with the skills necessary to qualify them for employment in fields such as business, criminal justice, education, fashion and design, health care, information technology, legal and paralegal studies. Kaplan, Inc. (www.kaplan.com) a leading international provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses.

Press contacts: 
Michele Snipe
msnipe@kaplan.edu
(312) 706-6006/cell (312) 502-7534

Caitrin Muldoon
cmuldoon@kaplan.edu
(954) 515-3773/cell (850) 449-3667

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