East Ventura News

During her early career as a preschool instructional assistant, Fátima Landeros encountered challenging student behaviors. This sparked her interest in early childhood education, leading her to become a preschool teacher and eventually a part-time substitute teacher for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District. Now, at the age of 42, Landeros is set to become a full-time, fully credentialed teacher.

This transition is facilitated by a partnership between the Santa Maria-Bonita School District and California Lutheran University’s teacher credentialing program. Landeros benefits from the program, which promises at least four years of employment as a full-time teacher.

Santa Maria, located in northern Santa Barbara County, is grappling with a shortage of qualified teachers. The district comprises 17,000 students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade. While nearly 75% of teachers are white, over 80% of students are of Latine heritage, including children from migrant farmworker families.

The Pathways to Teaching program aims to address such shortages by removing barriers like tuition costs, which prevent potential candidates from pursuing teaching careers. Participants of the program, including Landeros, attend evening classes at district offices and engage in daytime teaching residency experiences.

The program is funded by grants exceeding $9 million and provides candidates with application assistance, a monthly stipend, health benefits, and opportunities to work as substitute teachers. Landeros, originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, expressed that her experience in the program has enhanced her understanding of child learning and special needs.

Shelli Hart, program specialist for teacher development at the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, observed that previous online university programs were insufficient for preparing new teachers. She initiated a collaboration with California Lutheran’s Graduate School of Education to enhance the teacher pipeline. As a result, the program received a $250,000 grant from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing in 2021.

Initial candidates, including Acela Comerford, found the program beneficial. Comerford, one of the first participants, now teaches transitional kindergarten. She recalled how the program was convenient and supportive, offering mentoring and tutoring.

Nineteen candidates from the second cohort are expected to graduate in May, while a third cohort with 19 candidates began in January. Participants can pursue credentials in two tracks: multiple-subject credential with transitional kindergarten and bilingual authorization, or the preliminary education specialist credential for classrooms with mild to moderate support needs.

Cal Lutheran and the district routinely evaluate the program's effectiveness through weekly Zoom meetings. "The reason why this is so successful is that both Cal Lutheran and the district really believe in this program," said Lauren Prieto, graduate admission counselor at Cal Lutheran.

Rocio Ramirez, 25, part of the second cohort, saw the program as a perfect match for her aspirations. Now engaged in student teaching, she aims to begin full-time teaching by August. Ramirez emphasized the importance of being relatable to students and maintaining open communication with their parents. "I want to be a teacher whom the students can see themselves in," she said.