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Teacher Pathways

Pathways to the Classroom Flyer

Many Florida colleges and universities offer undergraduate programs that prepare students for K-12 teaching degrees. These teacher preparation programs provide student interns with hands-on, field-based experiences in schools to build practical teaching skills.

Please contact Inez Mata to learn more.

Florida Gulf Coast University, in partnership with The School District of Lee County, is offering a paid internship during the student intern’s Block 5/final internship. The interns receive a one-time supplement while spending half of their day completing their traditional internship and the other half supporting students through small-group intervention, walk-to-read support, school-wide operational responsibilities, and other responsibilities that will help the intern grow as a Lee County employee.

Please contact Inez Mata to learn more.

This pathway allows individuals enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation program—who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree—to begin teaching and earn a first-year teacher salary while completing their internship requirements. Eligible candidates must meet state certification requirements, hold a valid Statement of Eligibility, have at least 60 college credits, demonstrate subject-area mastery, complete fingerprinting, and be actively participating in a public-school internship or field experience.

For more information about the Temporary Internship Pathway, please visit the FLDOE website .

Florida Gulf Coast University, in partnership with The School District of Lee County, FutureMakers, the Good Jobs Pipeline, and IDA Grant, has provided an alternative pathway to a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood, Elementary Education, Special Education with Reading, ESOL, and Early Childhood Special Education Endorsements.

The target population of participants is instructional support staff currently employed in Lee County who hold an AA degree/60 hours of credit and wish to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. The purpose of this initiative is to meet the ongoing need for certified classroom teachers and meet the requests of our district partners. Candidates complete accelerated online coursework combined with field experiences and internships—often in their own school of employment. There is no program cost for the student.

Please contact Inez Mata to learn more.

Saint Leo University, in partnership with The School District of Lee County, has provided an alternative pathway to a bachelor’s degree in Elementary or Secondary Education (Social Science or English) with reading and ESOL endorsements.

The target population of participants is instructional support staff currently employed in Lee County who hold an AA degree/60 hours of credit and wish to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. The purpose of this initiative is to meet the ongoing need for certified classroom teachers and meet the requests of our district partners. Candidates complete accelerated online coursework combined with field experiences and internships—often in their own school of employment. The student will pay a discounted tuition rate.

To learn more about the Para-to-Pro Program, please view the Saint Leo University Informational Handout .

The Temporary Teacher Apprenticeship Program is a new pathway for individuals to enter the teaching profession and will continue to increase the pipeline of high-quality teachers. Apprentices begin as paraprofessionals and are paired with an experienced mentor utilizing a team-teach model. Apprentices will receive on-the-job training and related instruction leading towards a baccalaureate degree and a professional educator certificate. Participants will earn a program wage that increases at two checkpoints in the program. The university has waived the cost of post-secondary instruction, allowing the participant to receive it at no cost.

For more information about the Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway, please visit the FLDOE website .

The BloomBoard platform connects Barry University and The School District of Lee County to a certification and degree earning program, while using a job-embedded instructional model.