Camarillo, CA - Expanding CSU Channel Islands (CI)'s co-teaching program is one item on the list of initiatives now possible, thanks to CI's portion of a $3 million grant awarded to eight campuses in the CSU system.

The grant from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation went to eight CSU teacher education programs at Channel Islands, Fresno, Fullerton, Long Beach, Northridge, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus and CSU's CalStateTEACH program.

The grant funds the CSU initiative, "Preparing a New Generation of Educators for California."

The initiative is aimed at preparing future teachers and enhancing the skills of working teachers for the state's new K-12 curriculum based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

CI is laying out its plan for its $230,000 share of the grant, which will involve other primary, secondary and special education classrooms in Ventura County.

CI is already working with two schools in the area that they have identified as "professional development schools," according to CI Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the School of Education Gary Kinsey, Ed.D.

"These professional development schools are schools that have exemplary practices, and we know we have some great mentor teachers we can put our students with," Kinsey explained.

The University Prep School and Phoenix Academy in Camarillo and Laguna Vista Elementary School in the Oceanview School District are the schools that have had co-teaching since CI launched its pilot program in 2011.

The co-teaching model pairs a CI teaching student with a so-called "master teacher" when that school starts, rather than having the student teacher come later, as in the traditional student teaching model.

"They'll do planning together. They'll meet the students together," Kinsey said. "The bright shiny faces coming through the door on the first day of school, they'll meet them simultaneously."

The grant will allow CI to include other schools in the program. Some of the schools under consideration right now in Oxnard are Pacifica High School and the new Rancho Campana High School and University Charter Middle School in Camarillo.

Kinsey said the CI team is also looking at Buena High School and Cabrillo Middle School in the Ventura Unified School District.

Co-teaching is just one aspect of a multi-pronged strategy, Kinsey said, that will also address the need for recruiting and enhancing the skills of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teachers; supporting teachers who want to get national board certification and other initiatives.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI's strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master's degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI's Social Media.

The California State University (CSU) will reach a significant milestone of 3 million alumni during commencement in spring 2015 and has launched the world's largest yearbook. The Class of 3 Million online yearbook is an interactive platform where alumni can create a profile and connect with the millions of other alumni from the 23 CSU campuses across the state. Alumni who sign up for the yearbook will also be entered into a special contest to win one of three $10,000 scholarships for a current or future student, sponsored by Herff Jones. For more information about the yearbook and the Class of 3 Million, visit https://classof3million.calstate.edu/